Search and rescue officials inspect a building that collapsed during an earthquake in the eastern Turkish city of Van October 26, 2011. [Photo/Agencies]

ANKARA - Turkish rescuers pulled a 25-year-old school teacher out of a ruined building three days after a devastating earthquake that struck the province of Van in eastern Turkey Sunday, local NTV reported Wednesday.

Seniye Erdem was pulled out Wednesday around the same time that rescue workers also freed another teacher.

Erdem was the third person to be removed alive Wednesday from the wreckage caused by the 7.2-magnitude quake. An 18-year-old university student was rescued from the debris earlier in the day.

Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan acknowledged during a meeting of his Justice and Development Party (AK Party) Wednesday that his government had exhibited some failures in responding to Sunday's earthquake in the eastern province of Van on the first day of the disaster, but criticized the media for accusing the government of being late in reaching out to quake victims.

"I admit that we failed in the beginning within the first 24 hours. But this is normal. This happens all around the world," Erdogan said. But he said the situation is now almost completely under control.

The prime minister's disaster management board said on Wednesday that the death toll had reached 461, including 63 teachers, and the number of the injured was 1,352, with 2,262 buildings demolished.

Nearly 3,346 search and rescue personnel were dispatched to the region, the board said.

A 7.2-magnitude earthquake, which occurred Sunday afternoon, led to the collapse of about 80 multi-story buildings in Ercis, a town of 75,000 people close to the Iranian border. The region is among Turkey's most earthquake-prone zones.