The male survivor was named by officials as 40-year-old Lee Tsong-tian– rescuers had earlier told how they had been trying to dig him out of therubble for more than 20 hours but were unable to do so as he was trapped by hisleg.

Doctors had been sent in to assess whether removing his leg wouldhelp save him, but felt there was not enough room for the operation.

Tainan mayor William Lai said he talked to Lee just after he wasrescued.

"I briefly chatted with him and he could communicate with hissister," he said.

"But I'm afraid his left leg might need emergency treatment...it is not immediately clear whether he'll be able to keep his leg, but doctorswill do everything to treat him."

Earlier Lai had told how doctors had climbed up to the rescue siteto try to amputate Lee's leg, "but that did not work".

"Civil engineers advised us to dig him out from the bottom ofthe structure," Lai said.

The woman survivor had been reached after rescuers heard her criesfor help – but her husband and two-year-old child were pulled out dead,officials at the site said.

Emergency workers are searching for five other members of herfamily trapped inside.

There are still more than 100 residents buried in the rubble ofthe building which was toppled by a 6.4-magnitude quake on Saturday.

The quake left 37 confirmed dead, most of them from the apartmentcomplex.