Against all odds, a woman in her 90s has been successfully rescued after enduring five days trapped beneath debris caused by a powerful earthquake in central Japan. Despite challenging conditions exacerbated by snow and storms, relief efforts are underway.
The seismic event, measuring 7.5 in magnitude, struck on New Year’s Day, resulting in a death toll of at least 128 people, with 195 others still missing, as reported by local authorities. The quake’s aftermath included collapsed buildings, a significant fire outbreak, and tsunami waves reaching over a meter in height along the Sea of Japan coastline of Honshu, the main island.
Typically, the chances of finding survivors diminish after three days following such a destructive earthquake. However, in a remarkable turn of events, an elderly woman managed to endure five days beneath the remains of a collapsed house in Suzu city, located on the heavily affected Noto Peninsula. Rescue efforts successfully retrieved her on Saturday, and she has since been admitted to the hospital, where she was able to engage in conversation, as per reports from the public broadcaster NHK.