First Published Sep 24, 2022, 7:12 PM IST
This is what you call a miraculous return to life. A young man who went missing in an earthquake in China has been lucky enough to come back to life following facing death for several days. This return alive following 17 days is when everyone is doomed to die.
Local media reported that a man who had been missing for 17 days following an earthquake in southwest China’s Sichuan province has been found alive. 93 people were killed and hundreds injured in this earthquake.
An earthquake measuring 6.8 on the Richter scale occurred in Sichuan on September 5. After this earthquake, all the employees of the nearby hydroelectric power station were saved. However, only two employees remained there due to the fear that the nearby villages would be submerged when the flood waters came. They opened two gates at the top of the dam to allow the flood water to flow out. However, they might not escape from the dam site in a desolate area adjacent to the dense forest. They stayed there for the night. The next day they went out and tried to escape. But one might not walk because of his eyesight problem. The colleague who left him there and went to alert the rescuers might not find the other man. Subsequently, a rescue operation was underway for the missing employee. Meanwhile, following 17 days, he was found lying in the forest. He was rescued and taken to the hospital.
Power plant worker Gan Yu and his colleague Luo Yong were trapped by the earthquake. Gan and Luo stayed at the station for a day without food or mobile signal. They later came out and walked more than 12 miles to escape. But in the meantime, Gant, who was visually impaired, had lost his glasses. This made his journey difficult.
Eventually they both split up and decided to continue their journey in twos, Luo continuing to see if he might get help from anyone. At this time, Gan gathered some wild fruits for sustenance, made a small tent of bamboo, and decided to wait there for Luo to come.
Rescuers found Luo on September 8, but when they returned to where Gan had left him, he was not there. The rescuers might only see the abandoned clothes and footprints there. They were worried that he would succumb to death.
But a local farmer who went hunting found Gan a few days later. After a two-hour search, the farmer heard his cries and finally found Gan stuck in the trees.
It is unclear why Gann left the waiting area. According to state-owned news agency China Daily, Gan said he survived the 17 days of hard labor by eating wild fruits and water.
Gan was taken to the hospital for specialist treatment and the doctors said that many bones in his body were broken. He is still undergoing treatment in the hospital.
State broadcaster CCTV released footage of Gan eating a snack, being rescued and reunited with his parents from his hospital bed.
Last Updated Sep 24, 2022, 7:12 PM IST
