Paralyzed 84-Year-Old Rescued from Earthquake Rubble After Spending Days Trapped with No Food or Water

An 84-year-old woman was found in her home by family three days after a devastating earthquake struck Indonesia’s island of Flores in Indonesia.

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An 84-year-old woman was found in the ruins of her home by family three days after a devastating earthquake struck Indonesia’s island of Flores

The woman, who is paralyzed, went without food or drink for days as her family tried to find her

After the natural disaster, the death toll has risen to at least 73, with an additional 900 people injured and almost 60,000 displaced

Three days after a 7.7-magnitude earthquake struck the Indonesian island of Flores, a paralyzed woman was rescued from her home.

The quake struck the island in the early hours of Saturday, Aug. 15, Indonesia’s National Disaster Management Agency (BNPB) confirmed in an initial statement. The death toll has since risen to 73, according to the latest reporting from The Guardian and the Agence France-Presse (AFP).

Additionally, more than 900 were injured and almost 60,000 were displaced by the natural disaster, which triggered more than 3,000 aftershock quakes in the days that followed.

After the quake, Paulina Pobi, 84, was found in her leveled home on the small island of Nitunglea, which is situated to the north of Flores, The Guardian and AFP reported, citing local officials and news outlets.

Pobi’s family initially believed that she had been evacuated and searched for her in shelters that have been established to help those who lost their homes in the quake. They found her after returning to search her home on Tuesday, Aug. 18.

Local official Rudolfus Riba described the rescue to AFP, saying, “It feels unreal, almost like a miracle.”

BASARNAS / Handout/Anadolu via Getty

Riba noted that Pobi “couldn’t more or speak,” which made the discovery more complicated.

However, he added, “She is in good health; there were no injuries at all. She was just a bit weak because she hadn’t eaten or drunk anything for days.”

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Pobi has since received medial aid, local police said, according to The Guardian.

BNPB did not immediately respond to PEOPLE’s request for updates on rescue and aid efforts.

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In a statement issued on Thursday, Aug. 20, BNPB noted that rescue and aid efforts were ongoing. The BNPB’s deputy for prevention added that the organization’s focus was on taking care of those who had been displaced in the aftermath, as well as recording damage to the area’s infrastructure and homes.

“Of course, in addition to continuing to record data on damaged buildings, we are also focusing on the people who are still displaced. We see many children, many mothers, and many elderly people,” they said. “We will ensure that as long as there are still independent refugees, we will once again ensure that their food and sustenance needs are met.”

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