At least thirteen people were killed after a powerful earthquake struck Japan`s southwestern Kumamoto prefecture on Tuesday, according to Reuters and BBC News. The major tremor registered a preliminary magnitude of 7.1 before being revised to 6.8 by the United States Geological Survey, with Japan`s seismic intensity scale reaching the maximum level of seven. The sudden disaster triggered extensive damage, buckling roads, sparking fires, and leaving tens of thousands of households without electricity across the region.
Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi stated that emergency rescue teams are currently engaged in a race against time to save survivors trapped beneath collapsed structures. Thousands of Self-Defense Forces personnel, alongside police and firefighters, have been deployed to heavily affected areas to execute search and rescue operations. Takaichi emphasized that the government is mobilizing all available resources to assist those affected and ensure maximum safety.
The most severe destruction was reported at an Aeon Mall shopping center in Kumamoto`s Kashima town, where a powerful explosion ripped through the building following the earthquake. Emergency responders managed to pull survivors from the debris overnight, while authorities continue searching for several missing individuals. A separate incident at a Nippon Paper Industries plant in Yatsushiro involved a collapsed smokestack and additional missing personnel, compounding the local crisis.
Transportation networks across the prefecture faced major disruptions as high-speed bullet train services were temporarily suspended and regional flights were canceled. Several major industrial plants in the area also paused operations to conduct safety checks and address logistical hurdles. Local meteorological authorities have warned residents to remain vigilant against potential aftershocks and landslides in the coming days.
