Japan earthquake: woman in her 90s rescued from collapsed house 5 days after deadly tremor
- The survivor was pulled alive from the debris in Suzu, Ishikawa Prefecture, about 124 hours after the 7.6 magnitude quake hit the area
- The New Year’s Day disaster prompted an unusual gesture from North Korea’s Kim Jong-un, who sent a message of condolence to Japanese PM Fumio Kishida
A woman in her 90s was pulled alive from a collapsed house in western Japan late on Saturday, 124 hours after a major quake slammed the region, killing at least 126 people, toppling buildings and setting off landslides.
The woman in Suzu city, Ishikawa Prefecture, had survived for more than five days after the 7.6 magnitude quake that hit the area Monday. Nationally broadcast news footage showed helmeted rescuers covering the view of the area with blue plastic, and the woman was not visible.
Chances for survival diminish after the first 72 hours. Several other dramatic rescues have been reported over the past few days as soldiers, firefighters and others joined a widespread effort.
Among the 126 dead was a five-year-old boy who had been recovering from injuries he suffered when boiling water spilled on him during Monday’s 7.6 magnitude earthquake. His condition suddenly worsened and he died on Friday, according to Ishikawa prefecture, the hardest-hit region.
Aftershocks threatened to bury more homes and block roads crucial for relief shipments. Officials warned that roads already cracked could collapse completely. That risk was growing with rain and snow expected overnight and Sunday.