When time can mean life or death

How long can people survive in the rubble of an earthquake?

Up to a week or more, experts say. But it depends on their injuries, how they are trapped and weather conditions.

Most rescues occur in the first 24 hours after a disaster. After that, survival chances drop as each day passes, experts said. Many victims are badly injured or buried by falling stones or other debris.

Access to water and air to breathe are crucial factors, along with the weather. Age, physical and mental condition are seen as being critical as well.

People with traumatic injuries, including crush injuries and limb amputations, face the most critical survival window, said George Chiampas, an emergency medicine specialist in the Feinberg School of Medicine at Northwestern University.

After the 2011 Japan earthquake and tsunami, a teenager and his 80-year-old grandmother were found alive nine days after being trapped in their flattened home.

Agencies Via Xinhua