Search for girl buried alive in quake rubble
RESCUERS laboured against the odds yesterday to save a 12-yearold schoolgirl trapped beneath crumpled buildings in central Mexico, following the country’s deadliest earthquake in 32 years.
More than 50 survivors have been plucked from several disaster sites in Mexico City since Tuesday afternoon’s 7.1-magnitude quake. At least 237 have died and 1,900 were injured.
Eleven children have been rescued from the Enrique Rebsamen School, where students are aged up to 15. But 21 children and four adults there were killed.
Wiggled
At the site, south of the capital, Navy-led rescuers had spoken to the young victim identified only as Frida Sofia.
But Admiral Jose Luis Vergara said they had failed to pinpoint her exact location.
He said: “There’s a girl alive in there, we’re pretty sure of that, but we still don’t know how to get to her.
“The hours that have passed complicate the chances of finding alive or in good health the person who might be trapped.”
Rescuers had earlier seen a hand protruding from the debris and the girl wiggled her fingers when asked if she was still alive, according to broadcaster Televisa, whose cameras have been providing live coverage.
Officials have so far resisted using heavy-lifting equipment for fear of crushing survivors.
Volunteers and bystanders have been helping – using dogs, cameras, motion detectors and heat-seeking equipment to detect victims who may still be alive.
Meanwhile, thousands of people have donated food, water, medicine, blankets and other basic items to help relief efforts. Restaurants have delivered food to shelters where thousands of people have sought refuge after their homes were damaged.
The disaster has provoked reaction across the world, including from Hollywood actress Salma Hayek who has donated £75,000 to Unicef and launched a fundraising campaign to help victims.