BAM, Iran, Jan. 3 (Xinhuanet) -- A woman was pulled out alive from the quake debris in Bam Saturday, eight days after a strong temblormeasuring 6.3 magnitude jolted the southeastern Iranian city.

    The woman, about 60, was in good condition when she was rescued from under the rubble of a building, a Red Crescent spokeswoman said.

    The woman was first found by sniffer dogs, and then it took three hours for Iranian rescue workers to get her out of the debris, the spokeswoman said.

    A powerful earthquake hit the historical city of Bam on Dec. 26,killing about 40,000 people and destroying 70-80 percent of the buildings in the city.

    Rescue workers from more than 20 countries rushed to the devastated city to help find survivors from the killer quake and more than 500 people had been rescued since then.

    However, rescue workers had given up hope of finding more survivors in the devastated city as experts say it is unlikely for people under the rubble to survive even beyond three days without food or water in such conditions. Enditem