Zena rescued from damaged building in Diyarbakir

A cat named Zena was rescued from a badly damaged shopping mall in southeastern Diyarbakir on Wednesday night after HDP (People's Democratic Party) deputies prevented demolition work on the building.

At the Galeria shopping center, a drone initially determined the exact location of the cat. Later, firefighters and AFAD teams set to work to rescue the cat.

The teams worked with the ladder snorkel used in the fire department's 54-meter fire and rescue operations. However, when this was not enough, the military helicopter intervened.

A staff member, who was roped down from the military helicopter dispatched to the scene, attempted to reach the floor where the cat was located in the building above the business center. But due to damage to the building, he was unable to enter and the helicopter left the scene.

Later, a cage was placed on the fourth and final floor of the site using a crane that AFAD teams brought to the site, but the cat did not enter this cage either. Finally, AFAD teams climbed the crane's basket, captured the cat on the 4th floor, and brought it down.

In Diyarbakır, a cat named "Zena" was rescued after the intensive work of teams in the Galeria Business Center and the site above it, which was heavily damaged in the Kahramanmaras-based earthquakes and whose demolition was suspended https://t.co/pCgJ7oPKXj pic.twitter.com/yGHmZfpSOw

— ANADOLU AGENCY (@anadoluagency) February 22, 2023

Zena had a broken leg and its first treatment was carried out by veterinarians. Officials said work was under way to rescue three other cats who were trapped in the building.