A lovable pooch has been pulled out alive from the rubble of an apartment building in Mexico City – six days after an earthquake left the city in ruins and claimed 324 lives across the country.
The white schnauzer, which was pulled to safety by members of a Japanese search-and-rescue team, appeared to be in good health before he was checked by paramedics, 9news.com.au reported.
The pup’s rescue in a southern neighborhood of the ravaged city offered residents a glimmer of hope that human survivors could still be found, though the chances appeared very remote.
Meanwhile, the death toll from last week’s magnitude 7.1-temblor, which was centered in Puebla state, rose to 324 – 186 of which occurred in Mexico City, Civil Defense chief Luis Felipe Puente said.
At least 96 people also died in a magnitude-8.2 quake that hit off the southern Mexican coast on Sept. 7.
Rescue efforts aimed at finding survivors remained active in at least three sites in Mexico City — two apartment buildings and an office building.
No one has been found alive since Wednesday, when a woman was pulled from debris.
After a 6.1-magnitude aftershock jolted the Oaxaca region Saturday, many traumatized residents have been sleeping on the streets amid fears of additional building collapses and packing churches to pray for victims.
“I came to ask God for strength for those who lost loved ones and for the Virgin to watch over us and keep us safe,” 69-year-old Maria Gema Ortiz at the Basilica of Our Lady of Guadalupe, the news outlet reported.
“Thanks to all those who came from other countries to help. Thanks to all — and long live Mexico!” she added.
Another 5.7 aftershock struck Sunday off Mexico’s west coast, jolting the southwestern part of the country, and seismologists predicted more tremors to come.
More than 44,000 schools in six states were due to reopen Monday, but only 103 in Mexico City — just 1 percent of its schools — were set to resume classes after they were certified as structurally safe, Reuters reported.
Officials said they did not want to interfere with relief efforts, so more than 4,000 public schools and almost as many private schools in the capital will remain closed for now.
Federal Education Secretary Aurelio Nuno said it could take a couple more weeks to inspect all of the country’s public schools.
“For the safety of the boys, the girls, the teachers and for the peace of mind, of course, of all the fathers and all the mothers, all schools will be inspected,” Nuno said.
A total of 38 buildings in the capital — mostly apartment blocks or office buildings — collapsed in last Tuesday’s quake.
Mayor Miguel Angel Mancera said about 9,000 damaged properties had been examined so far and more than 8,000 were deemed safe, needing only minor repairs.
Mancera told the Televisa network that about 700 were going to need some repairs but would be habitable again. About 300 either needed major structural reinforcement or would have to be demolished.
“Our neighborhood is in mourning,” said Deborah Levy, 44, from the trendy Condesa district that was among the worst hit by the quake, Reuters reported.
“Some neighbors and friends got together. We went to eat to cheer ourselves up, looking for a little normality,” she added.
With Post Wires