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Chinese Woman Found Alive More Than a Week After Earthquake


China's official state-run news agency says a woman has been rescued from a tunnel at a power plant nine days after she was trapped during a deadly earthquake.

Xinhua says the woman was pulled out of the tunnel at a hydropower plant in the town of Hongbai Wednesday, and airlifted to a nearby hospital.

A doctor says the woman suffered multiple fractures, but her injuries are not life-threatening.

News of the rescue comes as Chinese authorities raised the death toll to more than 41,000, with more than 32,000 others still missing. Officials warn the final death toll could rise to more than 50,000.

Authorities are rushing emergency supplies and shelter to the five million people left homeless in Sichuan province.

Premier Wen Jiabao has ordered one million tents and makeshift structures be sent to the damaged areas by August. Sichuan officials say they have already received 280,000 tents, but stress that more than three million tents and temporary structures are needed.

Rain has been forecast for parts of Sichuan province, which will likely hamper the massive relief efforts already underway.

Authorities are giving up hope of finding anymore survivors in the rubble, despite Wednesday's rescue and that of two other people Tuesday. A Japanese rescue team has already departed Sichuan, and will be replaced by a large team of medical personnel.

China's finance ministry says it has allocated $357 million in temporary allowances to support quake victims.

Some information for this report was provided by AFP, AP and Reuters.

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