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How long can people survive in the rubble of an earthquake?

"Typically, it is rare to find survivors after the fifth to seventh days, and most search and rescue teams will consider stopping by then,'' said Dr. Jarone Lee, an emergency and disaster medicine expert at Massachusetts General Hospital. "But, there are many stories of people surviving well past the seven-day mark. Unfortunately, these are usually rare and extraordinary cases.''

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People with traumatic injuries, including crush injuries and limb amputations, face the most critical survival window, said Dr. George Chiampas, an emergency medicine specialist at Northwestern University's Feinberg medical school.