Quake wreaks havoc across disaster-hit Kumamoto in Japan

An earthquake with a magnitude of 7.1 rocked southwestern Japan on Tuesday, wreaking havoc as authorities continued search and rescue operations amid reports of deaths, missing people, collapsed buildings, power outages and traffic disruptions, according to local media reports, said Xinhua.

Following the powerful quake that struck Kumamoto Prefecture at 4:27 p.m. local time, an explosion occurred at AEON Mall Kumamoto, a major shopping complex in Kashima Town. Many people are feared trapped, with about 20 to 30 employees unaccounted for after the building's second floor collapsed, public broadcaster NHK reported, citing the Fire and Disaster Management Agency.

A senior government official told NHK late Tuesday that authorities received reports that there had been a gas leak. After shutting off the main gas supply, police, firefighters and the Self-Defense Forces are carrying out rescue operations.

At least several people have been confirmed dead following the explosion, Asahi TV reported, citing police sources.

In Yatsushiro City, where seismic intensity of upper 6 on Japan's scale was recorded, one person found inside a collapsed house was confirmed dead after being taken to hospital, Kyodo News reported, citing the Kumamoto Prefectural Police.

Also in Yatsushiro City, nine people were reported to be in need of rescue after a smokestack collapsed at a Nippon Paper factory, NHK said.

Meanwhile, the Yatsushiro Police Station said multiple people at the paper plant remained unaccounted for following the chimney collapse. Police and firefighters were continuing efforts to verify their whereabouts and carry out rescue operations.

A hospital in Kumamoto City said that over 50 people have been admitted with injuries, while at least one of them is reportedly unconscious, NHK said.

Power outages have affected about 48,000 households in the southwestern prefecture, while over 10,500 households were without water, Kyodo News reported.

No abnormalities were reported at the Sendai nuclear power plant in Kagoshima Prefecture or at the Genkai nuclear power plant in Saga Prefecture, according to Kyushu Electric Power Co.

Tsunami advisories were issued for the Ariake and Yatsushiro seas after the quake but were later lifted, according to the Japan Meteorological Agency (JMA).

According to JR Kyushu, train operations were suspended on all lines in its service area, including bullet train and local lines.

The Ministry of Land, Infrastructure, Transport and Tourism said a bridge on the Minami-Kyushu Expressway was damaged and shifted, making it impassable.

The quake registered the maximum 7 on the Japanese seismic intensity scale in the hardest-hit areas. According to the JMA, this is the first time seismic intensity 7 has been recorded in Japan since the Noto Peninsula Earthquake in January 2024. It is also the first time Kumamoto Prefecture has recorded a seismic intensity of 7 since the 2016 Kumamoto Earthquake, during which intensity 7 was observed twice.