Shenzhen landslide: Man found alive under eight metres of rubble survived by ‘thinking of mother and eating sunflower seeds’
Tian Zeming, who was freed after being trapped for 67 hours, was ‘fortunate to escape with his life’, officials said
Migrant worker Tian Zeming survived while buried for 67 hours under eight metres of rubble following Sunday morning’s deadly landslide in Shenzhen by thinking of his mother and eating sunflower seeds and grapefruit.
He remained conscious throughout his ordeal and defiantly kept tapping with a stone to attract the attention of rescue workers.
Tian, 21, told rescuers, after they dug a hole down to just above his head on Wednesday morning, that throughout his ordeal he had kept thinking of his mother and told himself, “I must get out”.
WATCH: Man recovered alive from massive landslide in China’s Shenzhen
However, it took rescuers another three hours to dig a second hole before he was set free.
He said he had been lucky that food, including sunflower seeds and grapefruit, fell into the hole with him after a huge avalanche of mud and rubble crashed into at least 33 buildings at an industrial park in the city.
He was one of 76 people that had been reported still missing after the disaster, which has killed at least two people.
Tian, who had been partially covered by a door, said he had survived by eating the seeds and grapefruit, but had become dehydrated after being left without water, Shenzhen Special Zone Daily reported.
