Natural disaster
After earthquake in Japan: Woman over 90 years old rescued
Police officers search the rubble at a market in Ishikawa Prefecture. photo
© Uncredited/Kyodo News/AP/dpa
A powerful earthquake shakes Japan on New Year’s Day. The death toll is rising. The search for the missing people is underway under time pressure. A woman could now be rescued from the rubble.
Five days after the severe earthquake in Japan on New Year’s Day, rescue workers have a woman over 90 years old Woman rescued alive from rubble. The woman was found on Saturday under the remains of a collapsed house in the western coastal city of Suzu, the Japanese news agency Kyodo reported on Sunday. The death toll from the 7.6 magnitude quake rose to 126 by Saturday afternoon (local time).
More than 200 people were still missing in the region on the west coast most affected by the quake. The government had sent additional soldiers to the disaster area to support the search and rescue teams on site. When searching for survivors, the first 72 hours are considered crucial. Anyone who is not rescued during this time will have their chances of survival drastically reduced.
The quake struck Ishikawa Prefecture and neighboring areas last Monday. Mountains of rubble, damaged roads, landslides and aftershocks made it difficult for search and rescue teams to operate.