Glimmer of hope as phone light found in Bangkok quake rubble
Phetkasem Foundation rescue team is hoping for a miracle after spotting what could be a survivor’s mobile phone light blinking deep beneath the rubble of the collapsed State Audit Office building, two weeks after the deadly earthquake hit Thailand’s capital Bangkok.
Rescuers from the Phetkasem Foundation reported a potential breakthrough in the search for survivors after detecting what they believe to be the light from a mobile phone, 3 metres below the ruins of the State Audit Office building’s Zone B.
The building, still under construction, came crashing down on Friday, March 28 after a powerful earthquake in Myanmar sent shockwaves through Thailand, toppling the site and trapping workers inside.
So far, 23 people have been confirmed dead, nine injured, and a further 71 are still missing, bringing the total number of victims to 103.
The flicker of hope came early this morning, April 11, when the Phetkasem Foundation posted a dramatic update on its Facebook page.
“Urgent! The rescue team found a light signal below, approximately 3 metres deep. It is believed that it may be a light signal from a survivor’s mobile phone in Zone B at 7.30am.”
Rescue workers said the light appeared to turn on and off in response to their instructions. Though no voice was heard, the blinking signal prompted an urgent search operation and raised the possibility that someone may still be alive under the rubble.
One rescuer said the light’s activation sounded like a Samsung phone being powered on and off, reported KhaoSod.
At 8.50am, the team posted an update, reporting no audible response but confirming that the light continued to flash when commanded. Shortly after, radar equipment detected two human bodies in Zone B, one roughly 1 metre beneath the surface, and another at a depth of 3 metres.
“We hope that this person survived,” the foundation wrote.
Rescuers are now using cameras to try to confirm if the light is from a trapped survivor. With every passing hour, hope dims but the discovery has reinvigorated efforts.
While survival without food or water for two weeks is unlikely but experts say that if a victim had access to even a small amount of water, or found a pocket of air, moisture or supplies, survival is still possible.
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