China quake survivor 'rescued after nine days'
Wednesday, 21 May 2008 14:18
Female survivor dug out of rubble by rescuers in China, nine days after devastating earthquake
A woman has reportedly been dug out of rubble by rescuers in China, nine days after the devastating earthquake struck.
State news agency Xinhua said the unnamed woman had sustained multiple fractures but was expected to survive after spending more than a week in a power plant's tunnel.
The rescue, which took place in Hongbai, Sichuan, on the last of three days of national mourning, is likely to be the last of 6,452 made so far.
According to an official death-toll issued on Wednesday, 41,353 people were killed in the 7.9-magnitude quake.
A further 32,666 remain missing, while 274,683 people have sustained injuries.
Xinhua said there is now a "mounting pressure" to prevent the threat of epidemics spreading among survivors.
It claimed that 45,000 medical workers were on the ground in the quake-hit areas to distribute 1,196 tonnes of disinfectants and bactericides.
Also on Wednesday, premier Wen Jiabao announced 70 billion yuan (£5.12 billion) would be spent this year to reconstruct regions devastated by the earthquake.