Baby Pulled Alive From Japan Earthquake Rubble

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An eight-month-old baby girl has been rescued alive and unharmed from rubble after a 6.2 magnitude earthquake in southern Japan. Footage shows the child being carried to safety by firefighters after being trapped for up to eight hours.  A separate video has also emerged from inside a supermarket showing the moment the quake struck. Frightened shoppers can be seen running, light fixtures and shelves shaking and items crashing to the ground.

At least nine people have been killed and around 800 others injured in the powerful quake which hit about 9:26pm (local time) on Thursday. Some 40,000 people are said to have fled their homes when the quake struck and have spent the night outside. One of the towns most badly affected is Mashiki, situated close to the epicentre, where fires erupted shortly after the quake hit, destroying many of its traditional wooden buildings.

On Friday, rescuers who had worked through the night continued to comb through the debris of flattened homes and buildings for survivors. Sky’s Asia Correspondent Katie Stallard said their efforts were being hampered by aftershocks. “There have been 116 separate aftershocks since this initial earthquake. One just after midnight was magnitude 6.5 – that is a significant earthquake in its own right.

“Mothers have been seen crouching over their children, moving them away from buildings. “People are terrified that these further aftershocks are going to cause more damage. “The priority at this stage is finding anyone who may remain trapped. “Some 1,600 soldiers have been deployed to the epicentre,” she added.

Sky News.