Woman freed from rubble of quake-hit Indonesia school

PADANG, Indonesia (Reuters) - Rescuers pulled a woman alive from the wreckage of a school on Friday more than 40 hours after she was trapped when a powerful earthquake devastated the Indonesian city of Padang.

A tunnel had to be built into the mound of debris to reach Sari, a 21-year-old student at the STBA Prayoga language school.

A crowd near the school applauded after Sari was taken on a stretcher to a waiting ambulance. Her eyes were closed but one of her rescuers said she was able to talk.

"She said she was Sari," said Sipayang, a troop involved in the rescue mission. She was covered in dust from the shattered building and did not speak to reporters on the scene.

Rescuers have desperately been trying to find more survivors from Wednesday's 7.6 magnitude quake that the United Nations said has killed more than 1,000 people, while thousands more were feared trapped under damaged buildings.

Earlier, Sari's uncle said he was overjoyed that his niece had been found by rescuers.

"She said 'I'm hungry, thirsty' and they gave her some milk."

The family of Suci, another woman trapped in the school, were still waiting anxiously for the rescue team to reach her.

Her husband, Tommy Erwinsyah, 29, said Suci was lying right next to the rescued Sari.

"But her leg is trapped under the concrete floor that fell on her. They can't lift or break it so now they will try to use an air compressor to lift it," said Erwinsyah.

"Last night, I spoke to her," he added. "Her voice is very clear. I hope she can get out today. I went into the tunnel and I could hear her voice. I could see her hand."

Suci, 25, is a teacher at the school and the couple have a 15-month-old son.

A second orange excavator had arrived at the school to try to remove more rubble.

On a security post in front of the school a list of 23 names of people believed to be in the building was posted. Some names had been crossed out and four had the name of a hospital written next to them.

(Writing by Ed Davies; Editing by Alex Richardson)