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The number of people killed in the powerful earthquake that struck southern Japan has increased to 30, while rescue teams continue searching for survivors trapped under collapsed buildings and damaged structures.
The 6.8-magnitude earthquake hit Kumamoto Prefecture on Japan’s Kyushu island on Tuesday, causing widespread destruction. Local authorities said at least 62 people were injured.
Nearly 5,000 members of Japan’s Self-Defence Forces (SDF) have been deployed to help with rescue operations. Their work has become more difficult due to high temperatures reaching 35°C and a strong aftershock that struck overnight.
One of the hardest-hit locations was the Aeon shopping centre in Kashima. Around 3,000 shoppers were safely evacuated before a gas explosion occurred inside the building. Rescue workers have recovered 12 people from the rubble, but six of them died.
According to Aeon, all of the victims were employees who had returned to the building after the evacuation. Company officials apologized and said an investigation is underway to determine the cause of the explosion.
Emergency teams are also searching damaged industrial sites. At the Nippon Paper mill in Yatsushiro, a chimney collapsed during the quake. Eleven workers became trapped. Eight lost their lives, two were injured, and one person remains missing.
In another tragic incident, a Vietnamese worker died when a crane fell at a factory during the earthquake.
The disaster has disrupted daily life across the region. Officials said nearly 23,000 homes are without electricity, while about 75,000 households have no running water. Around 15,000 residents have been moved to emergency shelters.
Japan’s Defence Minister, Shinjiro Koizumi, said the government is sending water, food, and cooling equipment to affected areas. Military aircraft and ships are helping deliver emergency supplies.
Television footage showed severe damage across several communities, with some homes completely flattened and others swept into nearby rivers.
Residents described the quake as the strongest they had ever experienced. The earthquake registered the highest level on Japan’s seven-stage seismic intensity scale.
Experts reported that parts of the ground shifted by as much as 87 centimetres during the quake. Several buildings suffered structural damage, including Yatsushiro Town Hall, which was previously strengthened following the deadly earthquakes that struck the region in 2016.
The earthquake has also affected major industries in Kyushu. Companies including Toyota and Honda have temporarily halted operations at several plants. Semiconductor manufacturers such as Sony, Renesas, and Tokyo Electron have also suspended production, while Taiwan’s TSMC has resumed operations at its Kumamoto facility.
Authorities continue to monitor aftershocks and focus on rescue efforts as communities begin the long process of recovery.
