A powerful 7.1‑strength earthquake struck the south‑western Kyushu island of Japan on Tuesday, registering a depth of roughly 10 km. Over 100 aftershocks have already been reported and officials continue to urge residents to remain alert.
The quake caused the death of at least 13 people and left many others in cardiac arrest as the tremor hit Kumamoto Prefecture’s capital and surrounding towns. The Aeon Mall in Kashima suffered a significant collapse when a section of its second‑floor ceiling broke away, and a brief explosion followed seconds after the shaking ended.
Rescue crews are working in searing heat, digging through rubble at a paper factory and an abandoned shopping centre to find trapped survivors. Images show whisps of white smoke rising from the mall and large parts of its façade blown off, exposing steel beams underneath.
Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi declared a "race against time" to recover those locked beneath the debris. Over 4,600 personnel have been deployed to assist with rescue operations, and the government has warned the public to take precautions against heatstroke as temperatures climb to roughly 35 C during cleanup.
The Japan Meteorological Agency (JMA) cautioned that the next two to three days could see further strong aftershocks, with seismic intensity reaching 7 on the local scale. The quake’s shallow epicentre, located about 20 km south of Kumamoto city, caused additional damage to roads, bridges and the historic Yatsushiro Shrine.
Defence Minister Shinjirō Koizumi announced that about 300 air conditioners would be flown to Kumamoto to aid cooling during the recovery phase, while the United States Geological Survey later placed the event at a magnitude of 6.8. Emergency services have shut down power for thousands of homes and suspended train services, and residents are said to be experiencing a mixture of shock, fear and hope as they await the dread of further tremors.
The global community watches while Japan grapples with this natural disaster, hoping for swift recovery and support for the affected communities.
