Rescuers pulled two people alive from the earthquake debris in southwest China's Sichuan province on Saturday afternoon, more than five days after the tremor.

A 31-year-old woman named Bian Gangfen was rescued around 6:18 p.m. on Saturday in the Yinghua Township, Shifang City, after spending about 124 hours under the rubble of a chemical factory.

A group of fire-fighters from central China's Henan province discovered Bian on Friday night. They used life detection equipment to check on her every few hours during the rescue.

Bian was conscious when they carried her out and said "Thank you" to the people around her. Doctors said she had suffered back injuries and took her to a local hospital.

In a separate rescue, Zhou Zhi, 33, was pulled alive at about 6 p.m.from the rubble of a workshop above ground at the Jinhe Mine in Hongbai Township, Shifang.

In a Taoist temple near Yinghua, two monks were discovered after being stranded in the area for about five days after the tremor.

The death toll from Monday's earthquake, the worst to hit China in decades, was 28,881 nationwide as of 2 p.m. Saturday, while 198,347 people injured, the Information Office of the State Council said.

(Xinhua News Agency May 17, 2008)