(Wajima) A woman in her 90s was pulled alive from a collapsed house in western Japan on Saturday evening, 124 hours after a major earthquake struck the region, killing at least 126 people, toppling buildings and triggering landslides.
The woman from Suzu City, Ishikawa Prefecture, survived more than five days after the 7.6 magnitude earthquake struck the area on Monday. Images broadcast nationwide showed emergency workers in helmets covering the area with blue plastic, and the woman was not visible.
The chances of survival decrease after the first 72 hours. Several other dramatic rescues have been reported in recent days, as soldiers, firefighters and others joined in a massive operation.
Among the 126 dead was a five-year-old boy who was recovering from injuries he suffered when boiling water was poured 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 crucial roads for delivering relief supplies. Authorities have warned that already cracked roads could collapse completely. This risk increased with rain and snow expected overnight and Sunday.
Wajima town recorded the highest death toll with 69 people dying, followed by Suzu with 38 deaths. More than 500 people were injured, at least 27 seriously.
The storms left roofs misplaced on the roads and everything underneath crushed flat. The roads were deformed like rubber. A fire reduced a neighborhood in Wajima to ashes.
More than 200 people are still missing, although their numbers fluctuate. Eleven people were reportedly trapped under two collapsed houses in Anamizu.
Along the Japanese coast, electricity was gradually restored, but water supplies remained insufficient. Emergency water supply systems were also damaged.
Thousands of troops were flying and trucking water, food and medicine to the more than 30,000 people evacuated to auditoriums, schools and other facilities.
The nationally syndicated Yomiuri newspaper reported that its aerial survey had located more than 100 landslides in the area, and some were blocking vital roads. Some communities remain isolated and still waiting for help.