Two Dead After Japan Earthquake Triggers Mall Explosion in Kumamoto
Two young women were found dead early Wednesday in an Aeon Mall in Kumamoto Prefecture that was badly damaged by a powerful Japan earthquake and then rocked by a gas-leak explosion, with rescue crews continuing to search for others feared trapped at the mall and a nearby factory.
Casualties at Damaged Kumamoto Mall
Two young women were found dead early Wednesday in the Aeon Mall in Kashima, Kumamoto Prefecture, after the structure was damaged by the Japan earthquake and then hit by an explosion. [1] The two confirmed deaths were both women in their 20s, and they were among eight people discovered in the wreckage of the mall. [4] Three other people were in a state of cardiopulmonary arrest, with one at the mall. [1] Regional officials also said that 10 people were unaccounted for at the mall. [1] The mall blast was likely caused by a gas leak, according to a government source. [1] Ceilings and walls collapsed, leaving the structure's steel frame exposed. [1] Many people had evacuated the facility due to the earthquake and prior to the blast, which was reported 30 minutes later. [1] Employees helped evacuate about 200 shoppers when the quake struck, but the explosion came about an hour later, blowing out walls and exposing much of the steel framework. [2] NHK reported that 20 to 30 employees were initially unaccounted for. [2] Witnesses also reported smelling gas in the area, although the cause of the explosion remains unclear. [2] The mall had reopened only last month after being rebuilt following the devastating Kumamoto earthquake in 2016. [2] After nightfall, regional officials said 10 people were unaccounted for at the mall. [1] Emergency responders searched overnight for people feared trapped in the mall. [1]
Factory Collapse and Additional Victims
Three other people were in a state of cardiopulmonary arrest at a factory in Yatsushiro city where a smokestack collapsed. [1] Nine other people were unaccounted for at the factory site. [1] At least one person died in hospital after being found in a collapsed house, police said. [2] The powerful tremor toppled buildings, sparked fires and reportedly killed one other person in a house collapse. [1] Rescue workers conduct search and rescue operations at the damaged Aeon Mall shopping centre, where an explosion occurred after an earthquake struck Japan's southern Kumamoto prefecture. [1] Emergency responders searched overnight for people feared trapped in the mall, located just outside Kumamoto city, and at the damaged factory in Yatsushiro city, both on Kyushu island in southwestern Japan. [1]
Quake Magnitude and Immediate Aftershocks
The powerful tremor at 4:27 p.m. local time Tuesday afternoon was measured at 7.1 magnitude by the Japan Meteorological Agency. [1] The US Geological Survey put the quake's magnitude at 6.8. [1] A succession of aftershocks followed, including one with a magnitude of 6.1 at 5:08 p.m. [1] The magnitude 6.8 earthquake struck the Kumamoto prefecture on Kyushu island at 4:30 p.m. on Tuesday. [2] A tsunami advisory was issued immediately after the earthquake but was later lifted. [2] Just after midnight on Wednesday, a magnitude 4.1 aftershock struck Kumamoto prefecture. [2] The Japan Meteorological Agency reported more than 60 aftershocks, describing the latest tremor as moderate. [2] The aftershocks have complicated rescue efforts. [2] Residents have been warned to expect day-two tremors as they wake up on Wednesday morning. [2]
Widespread Damage Across Kyushu
The earthquake caused widespread damage as buildings collapsed. [2] It sparked fires in Kumamoto City, the prefectural capital, trapped shoppers inside a partially collapsed shopping mall, cut power to thousands of homes, and left roads badly damaged. [2] NHK footage showed parts of the Kyushu Expressway split apart, and a section of the wall surrounding Kumamoto Castle collapsed. [2] Verified footage shared on social media showed parts of a wall at the centuries-old Kumamoto Castle collapsing. [1] It had aired footage from elsewhere in the southwestern Kumamoto region on Kyushu island showing several blazes, damaged bridges, a derailed cargo train and a number of houses threatening to topple over. [1] Footage verified by AFP showed heavy vehicles, street lights and traffic lights swaying. [1] Elsewhere, vehicles on a two-lane road in the province were seen carefully navigating sections of buckled pavement. [1] Many roads were closed and high-speed shinkansen train services were suspended in the region affected by Tuesday's quake. [1] Kumamoto airport was closed for several hours before re-opening in the evening. [1] Two hospitals reported taking in at least 50 injured patients each. [1] One hospital reported receiving more than 50 wounded people, while another reported about 40 wounded, including 10 in a serious condition. [2] About 10 people were hurt at a nursing home for the elderly. [1] About 45,000 households and facilities had no power in the Kumamoto region. [1] "Human casualties, building collapses, road damage, fires ... have been confirmed so far," Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi said on X, adding there were also "water and power outages". [1]
Emergency Response and Evacuations
Rescue workers conduct search and rescue operations at the damaged Aeon Mall shopping centre. [1] The Japanese military has mobilised 3,600 personnel for disaster relief operations and sent 20 aircraft to assess the damage from the air. [1] About 300,000 people have been instructed to go to evacuation centres. [2] Many roads were closed and high-speed shinkansen train services were suspended in the region affected by Tuesday's quake. [1] Kumamoto airport was closed for several hours before re-opening in the evening. [1] "People are coming in with burns and fractures from being trapped under objects due to the earthquake, and ambulances are constantly bringing in injured people," NHK quoted one hospital employee as saying. [1] "Inside the hospital, there are water leaks and electrical system failures." [1] The broadcaster also said that around 10 people were hurt at a nursing home for the elderly. [1]
Japan’s Seismic Context
Kumamoto was hit by two devastating earthquakes in 2016 — one of magnitude 6.5, followed two days later by one of magnitude 7.3 — which killed 273 people and injured more than 2,800. [1] Japan is one of the world's most seismically active countries, sitting on top of four major tectonic plates along the western edge of the Pacific "Ring of Fire". [1] The archipelago, home to around 125 million people, typically experiences hundreds of jolts every year and accounts for about 18 per cent of the world's earthquakes. [1] Japan sits on the Pacific Ring of Fire, where several major tectonic plates meet. [2] The country experiences thousands of earthquakes every year, as the Pacific, Philippine Sea, Eurasian and North American plates constantly shift against one another. [2] Strict building codes and regular earthquake drills have helped reduce casualties, but powerful earthquakes can still cause widespread destruction. [2] Minor tremors also occur, on average, every five minutes. [2] Japan is haunted by the memory of a massive 9.0-magnitude undersea quake in 2011, which triggered a tsunami that killed or left missing around 18,500 people and wrecked the Fukushima nuclear plant. [1] No immediate abnormalities were recorded at nuclear power plants. [1] Officials said no abnormalities were detected at the two-reactor facility following the earthquake. [2] The firm said three nuclear reactors operating in the region at the time were functioning normally. [1]
What to watch next: Rescue operations continue at the mall and factory sites while authorities assess further aftershocks and infrastructure damage across the region.
