Thousands are on the ground, scouring the rubble for survivors in eight cities in Türkiye's south. Search and rescue operations were completed in two cities affected by Monday's deadly earthquake, which, within hours, was followed by another strong tremor. It is unclear how many people are still trapped in the debris, but about five days after the disaster struck, hope did not fade for desperate families and loved ones of those buried under tons of concrete blocks. Miracle rescues, days after the catastrophe, feed the hope.

Amid freezing temperatures and racing against time, search and rescue crews streamed into cities to work tirelessly. In some places, they are almost digging inch by inch per minute, carefully removing the debris to reach the trapped ones as dogs and seismic devices assist them in pinpointing the location of survivors. Even the faintest sound heard from the rubble triggers a rescue rush.

Vice President Fuat Oktay announced early on Friday that 121 people were rescued in the past 24 hours from the rubble. He said 29,622 search and rescue crews were on the field.

Several people were rescued from the rubble of buildings on Thursday night, including a 10-year-old boy saved with his mother after 90 hours in the Samandağ district of Hatay province. Also in Hatay, a 7-year-old girl named Asya Dönmez was rescued after 95 hours and taken to a hospital.

In Gaziantep, 17-year-old Adnan Korkut was pulled to safety some 94 hours after he was trapped in his home located in a five-story apartment building. Experts say victims can survive for up to a week under the rubble but this depends on various factors, from injuries they sustained to weather and the spot they are trapped inside a building. Yusuf Bülent Gündüz, leader of the rescue team that saved the teenager told Ihlas News Agency (IHA) how Korkut, who was taken to a hospital after he was removed from the rubble, spent hours buried alive. "He was standing up and was able to walk (in the tight space he was trapped in). He was able to walk to the spot we illuminated. He told me that he could hear all our voices and shouted to us but his voice was apparently low because we did not hear him at first. He told me he never lost hope and performed prayers while under the rubble. He felt an immense thirst and was forced to drink his own urine," he said.

A rescue team from nearby Antalya province was able to reach two sisters, ages 13 and 15, stuck under debris in Kahramanmaraş' Bahçelievler district. Digging a hole through the debris, they discovered 15-year-old Ayfer trapped with her sister Fatma. Crews kept her awake by constantly talking to her, asking her what she wanted to do once she is rescued. She said she missed eating ice cream. Crews had none, but they were able to respond to her other request: listening to her favorite song. One crew member found the song online on his cellphone and played it as others pulled Ayfer to safety, 99 hours after the earthquake. Two hours later, Fatma was also rescued alive from the rubble.

Also in Kahramanmaraş, a young woman identified as Fatma Karush was discovered in the rubble of a three-story building. After 14 hours of efforts, Karush was rescued from the spot she was trapped in, some 96 hours after the earthquake. In Hatay, 2-year-old Sela and her family, including her parents, brother and uncle, were rescued from the rubble of an apartment building in the Antakya district, 96 hours after the earthquake. In another incident, 32-year-old Sebahat Varlı and her 10-year-old son Serhat were rescued 101 hours after the earthquake in Diyarbakır's Bağlar district.

Not all rescues had a happy ending, as 10-year-old Hilal Bilgi, trapped under the rubble of a seven-story apartment building, had to have her right arm amputated for her rescue as it was buried under a massive slab of concrete. Some 90 hours after the earthquake, a young girl was rescued alive from the rubble in Hatay's Antakya. Her parents and three siblings died earlier in the staircase while trying to flee their home.