Japan Earthquake Leaves 13 Dead With More Than 100 Aftershocks Recorded
A 7.1-magnitude Japan earthquake struck Kumamoto prefecture in Japan's southwestern Kyushu region on Tuesday, killing at least 13 people, triggering more than 100 aftershocks, collapsing buildings including a shopping mall that exploded, and prompting urgent rescue efforts in searing heat. [1]
Death Toll and Immediate Impact
The Japan earthquake left at least 13 people dead, with many others reported in cardiac arrest. [1] One of the worst-hit buildings was the Aeon Mall in Kashima, where a portion of the second floor collapsed and an explosion occurred in the hour after the quake. [1] Footage showed white smoke rising as people ran into the car park, and large parts of the centre's exterior were blown off. [1] Aeon Mall president Akio Yoshida confirmed three people were killed in the mall explosion, with three workers still unaccounted for after checks of the roughly 2,700 staff. [1] Four people were taken to hospital from the mall, including one rescued from a bathroom and another in cardiac arrest. [1] In Yatsushiro City, a paper factory saw two people found with no signs of life and nine others unaccounted for. [1] Five people died and another two were injured at a Nippon Paper Industries factory where the quake knocked over a chimney. [5] Officials are investigating a possible gas explosion at the Aeon mall after rescuers reported smelling gas inside the building. [5]
Aftershocks and Ongoing Warnings
More than 100 aftershocks have hit the region since the Japan earthquake. [1] The Japan Meteorological Agency warned that for the next week or so, especially the next two to three days, residents should watch out for potential earthquakes with a maximum seismic intensity of 7. [1] The agency measured the earthquake magnitude at 7.1 while the US Geological Survey placed it at 6.8. [1] The quake's shallow epicentre with a depth of 10 km was about 20 km south of Kumamoto city. [1] On Japan’s seismic intensity scale, Tuesday’s tremor measured the highest level of 7 in some areas. [5] Authorities have warned residents in the areas that felt the biggest tremors to be on alert for further strong quakes for about a week, as well as for the risk of landslides. [5]
Rescue workers search collapsed Aeon Mall in Kumamoto after deadly 7.1-magnitude earthquake. — Source: gdelt
Rescue Operations and Race Against Time
Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi called the situation a race against time and warned it was truly a race against time to rescue those trapped. [1] More than 4,600 personnel were deployed to help with rescue efforts, while more than 4,500 troops have been deployed across the quake zone. [1] Emergency fire rescue teams, police and around 170 army personnel were focusing on areas of the Aeon mall where calls for help had been received. [5] Defence Minister Shinjirō Koizumi said about 300 air conditioning units would be flown to Kumamoto and distributed in the worst-hit areas. [1] Officials advised rescuers and quake survivors to take precautions against heatstroke in the clean-up work as temperatures hit about 35C. [1] Although more than 20 hours have passed since the earthquake, there are those still in need of help, Takaichi said. [1]
Evacuations, Infrastructure Damage and Disruptions
Approximately 260,000 to 300,000 people have been evacuated to centres after the Japan earthquake. [1] More than 36,000 to 48,000 homes remain without power. [1] The quake caused cracked roads and bridges, several buildings on fire, suspended train services and electricity cut off for thousands of homes. [1] The Aso Kumamoto Airport was closed. [2] A tsunami advisory was issued for the Ariake and Yatsushiro seas but was later lifted. [2] Around 260,000 people were instructed to go to evacuation centres. [5] Police received 386 emergency calls after the quake hit, including reports of collapsed buildings and people seeking rescue. [5] Part of a bridge had collapsed into the Kumagawa River. [5] The worship hall of the 19th Century Yatsushiro Shrine collapsed, and many homes had damaged roofs with a handful of buildings collapsed. [5] Roads leading to the coastal town were cracked and buckled in places. [5] One hospital in Uki city said a power outage caused by the earthquake meant it was unable to function and became like a field hospital. [5] Another hospital suspended admissions after accepting 86 injured people. [5] With more than 36,000 homes still without power and others without water, authorities warned about the risk of heat-related illness as temperatures hit 34 degrees Celsius. [5]
Eyewitness Accounts from Residents and Tourists
One resident, Hiroko Ogata, 75, said she was at the restaurant she runs in Yatsushiro City when the Japan earthquake hit. [1] All of a sudden there was a big jolt, and I was surprised and scared, she told the BBC. [1] I have lived here for 75 years, but I have never experienced such a big quake. I thought I would die, Ogata added. [1] American tourist Chantel Mohar was also in Kumamoto with her family when the earthquake struck. [1] While travelling in the tourist bus, everyone's phones went off with earthquake alerts. There was just a lot of rocking and confusion, she told the BBC's Newsday programme. [1] Local resident Masahiro Miyamoto, 40, said he was driving when the earthquake struck and saw telephone poles and buildings topple over. [5] I came straight home and have been helping with the clean-up ever since, he told Reuters as he removed rubble from a ruined gate at a neighbourhood temple. [5]
Corporate Response and Broader Context
Companies including Sony, TSMC, Toyota and others suspended operations after the Japan earthquake. [2] Sony and TSMC evacuated staff from their facilities in the affected area. [2] Renesas Electronics, Tokyo Electron and Honda have suspended operations at their plants. [5] Toyota Motor said it would suspend work at three factories outside Kumamoto prefecture through Friday in consideration of the situation at suppliers. [5] TSMC evacuated workers from its local plant as a precaution but said it had begun resuming operations late on Tuesday. [5] Japan, located on the seismically active Ring of Fire, experiences frequent earthquakes and accounts for about 20% of the world’s earthquakes of magnitude 6.0 or more. [5] A massive earthquake in Kumamoto 10 years ago killed 275 people and injured a further 2,739. [5] The castle was also among several historic buildings damaged in Tuesday’s quakes alongside shrines with heavy tiled roofs that partially collapsed and a 17th-century tea house. [5] No abnormalities were reported at nearby nuclear power plants. [2]
What to watch next: The Japan Meteorological Agency continues to urge residents to be alert for the possibility of strong aftershocks over the next week, while rescue crews keep searching rubble at the collapsed Aeon Mall and paper factory amid ongoing heat warnings.
