A powerful earthquake with a magnitude of 6.8 struck Japan's southern island of Kyushu, centred on Kumamoto prefecture, on Tuesday, killing at least 13 people and injuring many more. The quake registered a 7 on Japan's shindo intensity scale, causing severe damage to buildings and infrastructure across the region.
Damage and Casualties
The earthquake caused a partial collapse of a bridge in Yatsushiro, Kumamoto prefecture. An explosion was reported at Aeon Mall Kumamoto in Kashima, resulting in two confirmed deaths. Search and rescue operations continued overnight at the mall. Damage was also seen at Shohinken gardens in Yatsushiro, and a smokestack collapsed at Nippon Paper Industries' Yatsuhiro mill. Parts of Kumamoto castle's stone walls were damaged.
Power and Water Outages
Nearly 50,000 households were without power late on Tuesday, while 140,000 lacked water. Transport services, including bullet trains and Kumamoto airport, were suspended following the quake.
Evacuations and Response
About 300,000 people were instructed to go to evacuation centres, according to the country's disaster management agency. 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. Japan's Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi said on Tuesday evening that authorities were still assessing the extent of the damage.
Aftershocks
Aftershocks continued to hit for hours after the initial quake, with many residents sleeping in their cars for fear of building collapse.
