A powerful earthquake with a magnitude of 6.8 struck southern Japan's Kyushu island on Tuesday, leaving at least 13 people dead and many more injured. The quake, centered on Kumamoto prefecture, registered a 7 on Japan's shindo intensity scale, causing widespread damage to buildings and infrastructure.
Casualties and Damage
Rescue teams continued to search for missing persons amid aftershocks. At the Aeon Mall Kumamoto in Kashima, an explosion reportedly occurred after the quake, resulting in two confirmed deaths. Search and rescue operations continued overnight at the mall. A partially collapsed bridge in Yatsushiro, Kumamoto prefecture, was among the structural damage. At Yatsuhiro shrine, visitors viewed damaged buildings a day after the earthquake.
Infrastructure and Utilities
Nearly 50,000 households were without power late on Tuesday, along with 140,000 without water. Transport services, including bullet trains and Kumamoto airport, were suspended. Damage was also seen at the Shohinken gardens in Yatsushiro and at Kumamoto castle, where part of its stone walls were damaged. A collapsed smokestack was reported at Nippon Paper Industries' Yatsushiro mill.
Evacuations and Government Response
About 300,000 people had been instructed to go to evacuation centres, according to the country's disaster management agency. Japan's Prime Minister, Sanae Takaichi, said on Tuesday evening that authorities were still assessing the extent of the damage. An Aeon spokesperson said customers and employees were evacuated after the initial quake, and the cause of a subsequent explosion remained unclear, though a gas leak was reported but remained unconfirmed.
Aftershocks and Public Safety
Aftershocks continued to hit for hours after the initial quake, with many residents sleeping in their cars for fear of building collapse. Police officers and firefighters gathered outside Aeon Mall Kumamoto as search and rescue operations continued.
