New Zealand Woman Pulled From Rubble 24 Hours Later

After being trapped for 24 hours, a woman was pulled from the rubble of the Pyne Gould Corp. building in Christchurch today, a rare bright spot on a dark day in New Zealand. Ann Bodkin had taken cover under her desk during yesterday’s 6.3-magnitude earthquake, and “the sun came out the moment she was removed from the building,” says Christchurch’s mayor. “It was like God tuned on the lights.” Bodkin was one of about 30 people rescued from that building and the Canterbury Television building today, CNN reports.

Ann Voss was also rescued, according to local media. Voss had spoken to the media on her cell phone while trapped beneath the rubble, and said she’d even called her children to say goodbye. In the Pyne Gould building, at least 22 people were still trapped, but workers abandoned the rescue operation at Canterbury Television, calling damage to the structure “not survivable.” Hundreds are still missing, including 10 Japanese students and teachers who were visiting the city when the quake hit and could be trapped in a local college. Click for more on the tragedy. (More New Zealand stories.)