Woman in her 90s pulled alive from rubble five days after Japan earthquake

An elderly woman in her 90s was pulled alive from the rubble of her home in southern Japan, five days after a powerful earthquake. The woman was rescued from her flat in an apartment block in the city of Uto in Kumamoto Prefecture on the island of Kyushu on Tuesday, reported the BBC. The woman, who remains unnamed, was taken to hospital in a conscious state. Reports said she was doing well and in a stable condition. The magnitude 7.0 earthquake struck the region late last Thursday, killing 49 people, and thousands are still living in evacuation shelters with limited access to food and water. The rescue came as some residents returned home to assess the damage, with more than 1,500 homes destroyed or severely damaged in the quake. The Japanese government has said it will speed up the reconstruction process in the region, as search efforts continue for those still missing.