The death toll in Japan from the 7.1 magnitude earthquake that struck Kyushu on Tuesday increased to 13 by Wednesday. Rescuers continued their efforts to locate many individuals still trapped after an e…
1/10Rising Casualties: Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi reported 13 fatalities following the significant earthquake in southwestern Japan, with rescue operations ongoing into Wednesday morning. Many others sustained injuries. Search teams persistently sifted through damaged areas for any survivors. The confirmed death count increased late Tuesday and Wednesday as officials evaluated the destruction throughout Kumamoto prefecture.
2/10Kyushu Tremors: A 7.1 magnitude earthquake hit Kyushu, Japan’s southernmost major island, on Tuesday afternoon. The epicenter was situated close to Uki city, roughly 20 kilometers south of Kumamoto city, at a depth of 10 kilometers. A tsunami warning that affected nearby coastal regions was issued and subsequently retracted within two hours. Numerous aftershocks followed the initial quake.
3/10Urgent Rescue Efforts: “Many individuals remain in need of rescue, and time is of the essence,” Takaichi remarked. “We are fully committed to locating and assisting as many people as possible.” She expressed condolences to the families of victims and urged residents in affected areas to prioritize their safety, especially with temperatures approaching 33°C.
4/10Mall Catastrophe: The earthquake caused the second floor of an Aeon Mall in Kashima Town to collapse, trapping numerous individuals inside, as reported by Kumamoto’s fire department. Approximately an hour later, an explosion, believed to have been triggered by a gas leak, occurred in the mall, damaging its walls. According to an Aeon spokesperson, staff successfully evacuated shoppers prior to the explosion.
5/10Missing Persons: By Tuesday night, three fatalities at the mall were confirmed, including two women in their twenties. Four injured individuals were rescued, while about 20 to 30 employees remained unaccounted for. Japan’s Self-Defense Forces joined rescue efforts, assisting in delivering water and transporting patients to hospitals for treatment.
6/10Factory Crisis: A chimney collapsed at a Nippon Paper Industries factory in Yatsushiro City, trapping several workers in the rubble, according to Kumamoto’s emergency team. Two fatalities have been confirmed, and rescuers successfully saved two individuals. As of Wednesday, seven workers are still believed to be trapped. The company is currently assessing the overall damage.
7/10Evacuation Efforts: Over 9,000 individuals sought shelter in more than 500 evacuation centers across five prefectures, including Kumamoto and Fukuoka, as reported by the government. Approximately 300,000 residents received evacuation advisories as a precaution. The number of troops assisting in rescue operations increased from 3,600 to 4,600, according to Kyodo News, as Defense Ministry aircraft were deployed to assess the damage.
8/10Transport Disruption: Both bullet trains and local services throughout Kyushu were halted for safety inspections, with some services resuming later on. A train derailed at Yatsushiro station, and the stone walls at Kumamoto Castle, under renovation since 2016, sustained additional damage. The runway at Aso Kumamoto Airport was shut down, with no clear timeline for reopening.
9/10Industry Impact: Operations at Toyota, Honda, and Nippon Paper were temporarily halted at their Kyushu facilities, while Toyota reported no substantial damage and planned to resume work on Wednesday. Chipmaker TSMC mentioned that its Kumamoto facility resumed operations following safety assessments, while Sony evacuated personnel from a nearby site. Kyushu Electric Power indicated that tens of thousands of households were left without power.
10/10Nuclear Safety Assured: Japan’s Nuclear Regulation Authority reported no anomalies detected at three nearby nuclear plants. The area had previously experienced two major earthquakes a decade ago in 2016, resulting in 275 fatalities and 2,739 injuries. The Japan Meteorological Agency’s Shinji Kiyomoto advised residents to remain vigilant for aftershocks over the next two to three days, emphasizing the country’s ongoing earthquake risk.
