TOKYO, Japan, Jan 7: An elderly woman in her 90s has been successfully rescued from the debris of a two-story house over five days after a powerful earthquake struck Japan. The rescue took place in Suzu City, Ishikawa prefecture, on Saturday evening, approximately 124 hours after the quake, as reported by Japan’s public broadcaster NHK.

The woman, whose legs sustained injuries, was promptly transported to a nearby hospital. Despite her ordeal, a doctor revealed on Sunday that she is well enough to engage in conversations. Kume Takanori, a member of the emergency rescue team, shared details of the challenging rescue operation, mentioning that the woman's knees were trapped under furniture in a narrow space between the first and second floors. The extraction process required several hours of careful effort.

The earthquake, with a magnitude of 7.5, struck central Japan on January 1, prompting tsunami alerts as far away as eastern Russia. Coastal residents were compelled to evacuate due to collapsing buildings and roads, with additional damage caused by widespread fires. The death toll from the disaster has reached at least 126, according to the latest figures released by Japanese authorities on Saturday.

In the aftermath of a natural disaster, the first 72 hours are deemed "absolutely critical" for search and rescue efforts, known as the "golden period." Despite this, the ongoing rescue operations have faced challenges, with more than 200 people still unaccounted for in Ishikawa.

Many roads remain blocked, hindering the progress of emergency personnel and vehicles. Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida addressed the situation, announcing traffic restrictions around the earthquake zone starting Sunday. These restrictions aim to facilitate the movement of disaster recovery-related vehicles, ensuring swift and efficient aid delivery to affected areas.