Video shows dramatic rescue after Mexico earthquake
MEXICO CITY -- Three days after a devastating earthquake shook Mexico City, the death toll continues to climb. At least 293 people are dead, and some feared lost are still being pulled alive from the rubble.
Trapped under tons of debris for more than 24 hours, cellphone video showed the moment rescuers first made contact with a woman named Paulina, her foot barely visible.
The woman -- a human resources worker -- was at work when the earthquake struck Tuesday.
Rodrigo Heredia Chia is one of the thousands of amateur search and rescue teams that Mexico has trained. He shot the video with his cell phone, and says he heard people saying, "I'm here."
He says hearing calls for help is "shocking" because you're never sure if you can actually save them.
They had to leave Paulina twice for their safety as the rubble became unsteady, making the space even tighter. Chia says the space was about a foot wide and "very, very tight."
They had to burrow down two stories, and then use cables to attempt to pull her to safety. Six hours after they found her, Paulina was rescued.
Chia says the rescue represents "hope" for the country.
Surprisingly, Paulina did not suffer major injuries. She is one of more than 60 people who have been pulled from the rubble alive and even as the hope of finding more survivors diminishes, crews here are not ready to give up just yet.
