The girl, discovered under a mound of debris at what was once an eight-storey apartment block in the city's Kartal district, was taken to hospital.

At least three people died and a dozen more were injured in the disaster on Wednesday afternoon.

It is still not known what caused the building to collapse.

The property was officially home to 43 people living in 14 flats, Istanbul Governor Ali Yerlikaya said.

According to Mr Yerlikaya, the top three storeys of the building had been added illegally.

Speaking to reporters just moments before the girl was pulled from the rubble, the governor said that rescuers had "spoken to a girl named Havva".

"They are talking to her right now. Hopefully, with your prayers and their efforts we will reach this girl," he said.

Mr Yerlikaya said that 12 people were being treated at various hospitals, adding that three of them were in a critical condition.

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Rescuers continued to search the rubble on Wednesday night

Rescuers worked through the night to search the rubble for survivors.

According to CNN Turk, the building collapsed at about 16:00 local time (13:00 GMT).

As they searched, rescuers occasionally appealed for quiet to listen for any sounds coming from underneath that might indicate people trapped.