Doctors Say Quake's Miracle Survivor Struggling

L'AQILA, Italy, April 8, 2009 — -- A 5.2 magnitude aftershock struck n the Abruzzo region of Italy hit by Monday's quake, the U.S. Geological Survey said on Thursday, according to the Associated Press.

It was not immediately clear whether the tremor had caused any damage.

Rescue workers continue the grim task of finding more survivors, a group of them were thrilled to come across a survivor Tuesday who had been trapped in a collapsed student dormitory for 43 hours. The 20-year-old student Eleonora Calesi was initially said to be in "good condition" despite having been trapped in the rubble with her friend Enza's dead body holding her down.

"Give me some water," she whispered to police lieutenant Antonio Del Boccio as soon as she was taken out of the mountain of debris, according to Italy's La Repubblica newspaper. With tears in her eyes, she asked, "Where are mamma and papa?"

Then came the reports that her condition had taken a turn for the worse. Eleonora was admitted to an intensive care unit, suffering from "serious crush syndrome." After her dramatic televised rescue, she spent hours in the operating room. The condition of her right leg and left arm were especially critical. Six other earthquake victims are in the same unit, all of them in serious condition.

Later in the day, doctors at the hospital where she was recovering told Italy's state radio that despite the grave injuries that she sustained while trapped in the rubble, she was now in stable condition.

Two days have passed since a strong earthquake demolished a good part of the city of l'Aquila in central Italy and killed at least 265 people but the emergency is far from over.

Powerful aftershocks continue to rattle the area, one last night with a force of 5.6 and claimed the life of one person. Rescuers scrambled out of the rubble to avoid being crushed by debris.