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New Zealand Woman Pulled From Rubble 24 Hours Later

One of 30 people rescued from Christchurch office building

By Evann Gastaldo, Newser Staff

Posted Feb 23, 2011 7:02 AM CST

(Newser) – 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.

A rescue worker guides survivor Ann Bodkin, center, out of the destroyed Pyne Gould Guinness building in Christchurch, New Zealand , Wednesday, Feb. 23, 2011. (AP Photo/Rob Griffith)

Rescue workers prepare to lift survivor Ann Bodkin off a ladder after she was taken out of the destroyed Pyne Gould Guinness building in Christchurch, New Zealand Wednesday, Feb. 23, 2011. (AP Photo/Rob Griffith)

Graham Richardson, partner of survivor Ann Bodkin reacts after she was rescued from the destroyed Pyne Gould Guinness building in Christchurch, New Zealand , Wednesday, Feb. 23, 2011. (AP Photo/Rob Griffith)

A rescue workers prepare to lift survivor Ann Bodkin off a ladder after she was taken out of the destroyed Pyne Gould Guinness building in Christchurch, New Zealand , Wednesday, Feb. 23, 2011. (AP Photo/Rob Griffith)

A rescue worker speaks to survivor Ann Bodkin as she is guided out of the destroyed Pyne Gould Guinness building in Christchurch, New Zealand , Wednesday, Feb. 23, 2011. (AP Photo/Rob Griffith)

A rescue worker guides survivor Ann Bodkin out of the destroyed Pyne Gould Guinness building in Christchurch, New Zealand , Wednesday, Feb. 23, 2011. (AP Photo/Rob Griffith)

Rescue workers climb onto the collapsed Pyne Gould Guinness Building in central Christchurch, New Zealand, Tuesday, Feb. 22 2011. (AP Photo/New Zealand Herald, Mark Mitchell)

Rescue workers search for victims buried under the rubble near the Canterbury Television building in Christchurch, New Zealand, Wednesday night, Feb. 23, 2011. (AP Photo/Kyodo News, Shuzo Shikano)

Debris crush a car outside the Christchurch Catholic Cathedral after an earthquake rocked Christchurch, New Zealand, Tuesday, Feb. 22, 2011. (AP Photo/NZPA, David Wethey)

The spire of the iconic stone Christchurch Cathedral toppled into a central city square in Christchurch, New Zealand, Tuesday, Feb. 22, 2011. (AP Photo/New Zealand Herald, Mark Mitchell)

In this image made from video run by New Zealand's TV3, people look at damaged cathedral after a strong quake in Christchurch, New Zealand Tuesday, Feb. 22, 2011. The strong, 6.3-magnitude earthquake... (AP Photo/TV3 via Associated Press Television News)

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New Zealand Woman Pulled From Rubble 24 Hours Later

One of 30 people rescued from Christchurch office building

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