Chinese woman survives 15 days in well

A woman has been found 15 days after she fell into a well in central China's Henan province, local authorities said Tuesday.

Su Qixiu, 38, was found at the bottom of an abandoned well at Zhongfeng village in Xiayi county aound 4 p.m. Monday, Xinhua reported, citing the county's firefighting department.

Su was in the well for 15 days and remained undetected.

The well is about one metre in diameter and four metres deep.

It is encircled by lush cornstalks and is difficult to see. The wall of the well is too smooth to climb up.

Su, who was found lying on her back with eyes open, was astonishingly skinny, said Chen Kui, a firefighter who participated in the rescue.

"Hungry! I'm hungry," said a feeble voice after Chen went down the well.

Chen asked her if she could move. She did not reply but extended her hands.

Although Su did not have any obvious injuries, she could not speak or eat. Functioning of her internal organs has not recovered, but she is in stable condition and receiving fluids.

Su survived by eating raw corn she was carrying when she fell into the well.

Two rain showers during the period gave here enough water to drink, according to her husband.

Su had gone out to pick herbs after lunch Sep 1 and did not come back that day.

Her family began searching for her the next day but their efforts failed, her husband said.