A 6.8-magnitude earthquake has shaken south Japan, leaving at least 100 people injured. Some are trapped and presumed dead inside a shopping mall.
The earthquake hit Kumamoto prefecture on the southern Kyushu island, knocking out power to thousands of homes and damaging roads, bridges and buildings.
The quake’s epicentre was about 12 miles (20km) south of Kumamoto, central Kyushu island’s largest city, with a population of about 700,000. The US Geological Survey initially said the earthquake had a magnitude of 7.1, but revised it later to 6.8.
The Japan Meteorological Agency (JMA) said that the tremor at 4.27 pm local time had a magnitude of 7.1, but reached the highest level of 7 on Japan’s shindo scale. A subsequent aftershock with a magnitude of 6.1 was registered at 5.08pm.
The disaster management agency said that about 300,000 people have been instructed to go to evacuation centres. According to the Japan Meteorological Agency (JMA), the areas with the biggest tremors will remain at risk of further strong quakes and landslides for about a week since the shallow earthquake is triggering active seismic activity in the area.
So far there have been more than 60 aftershocks ranging in magnitude from 1 to 4, the agency said. A tsunami warning was issued immediately after the quake, but was lifted within two hours. One person was killed in south-west Japan when a house collapsed during the earthquake. Two hospitals reported more than 50 injuries each, including 10 in a serious condition.
Several people on a high-speed train at the time of the quake were also injured and multiple people were unaccounted for after a chimney collapsed at a Nippon Paper Industries factory, according to local media reports.
An explosion occurred in an Aeon shopping mall shortly after the earthquake, trapping “many people”, fire services said. A broadcaster reported that police said “quite a few” were presumed dead. About 20 to 30 workers at the mall were unaccounted for. It was reported that four people had been taken to hospital, all of them conscious.
An Aeon Spokesperson said that customers and employees were evacuated after the initial quake and the cause of the explosion remained unclear. A government official subsequently told reporters that Aeon Kumamoto reported a gas leak, though it had not yet been determined as the cause.
Damage Assessment Ongoing
Japan’s Prime Minister, Sanae Takaichi, told reporters that authorities were still assessing the extent of the damage in the area, which was devastated by another deadly quake a decade ago.
The massive earthquake in Kumamoto 10 years ago killed 275 people and injured a further 2,739. It damaged thousands of buildings including the city’s castle, a popular tourist site. Some of the castle’s stone walls are said to have been damaged in the most recent quake.
“We have already been informed that people have been injured. Power outages and fires have occurred in some areas, and there has also been damage to roads and bridges and the collapse of buildings. I ask everyone to take action to protect themselves, including evacuating to a safe location.”
Sanae Takaichi
Kyushu Electric Power said that 48,000 homes had lost power, while the railway company JR Kyushu suspended services, including its high-speed bullet trains. Kumamoto airport also shut its runway as airlines diverted and cancelled flights.
The telecoms operators KDDI and NTT Docomo said that here was disruption to their mobile phone services owing to power shortages and transmission-line failures. Japan’s nuclear regulation authority said that there were no irregularities reported at the nuclear power stations in the area.
Japan, which is located along the “ring of fire” of volcanoes and oceanic trenches in the Pacific basin, is one of the world’s most earthquake-prone countries, with a tremor occurring at least every five minutes. The country accounts for about 20% of the world’s earthquakes of magnitude 6 or more.
Japan has invested heavily in earthquake preparedness following several devastating disasters over the decades. Strict building codes, nationwide earthquake early warning systems and regular emergency drills have significantly improved the country’s ability to respond to major seismic events. Even so, powerful earthquakes continue to pose serious risks to lives and infrastructure
As the full extent of the disaster becomes clearer, officials have urged residents to remain vigilant, follow evacuation guidance where necessary and prepare for possible aftershocks. While the earthquake has already caused significant disruption across Kumamoto Prefecture, emergency services remain focused on rescuing survivors, restoring essential services and supporting affected communities.
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