The death toll from a magnitude 7.1 earthquake in southern Japan has risen to 13, Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi confirmed, as a huge rescue operation continues at a collapsed shopping mall in Kumamoto.
Rescue efforts at Aeon Mall
The earthquake struck the Kumamoto area on the southern main island of Kyushu late Tuesday afternoon. The second floor of the Aeon Mall collapsed, trapping many people, according to the fire department in the prefectural capital of Kumamoto. Prefectural officials said they are investigating an explosion, reportedly from a gas leak.
Prime Minister Takaichi said: "There are people who are still waiting to be rescued, and it’s a race against time. We will go all out to find and rescue as many people as we can." She offered condolences to the victims and sympathy to their relatives, urging those affected to take care in hot weather.
Japan's Self Defence Forces joined rescue workers at the mall, helping deliver water and transfer patients. The government is also preparing to deliver food and other necessities to hard-hit areas.
Impact and aftermath
A chimney collapsed at the Nippon Paper Industries' Yatsushiro factory, trapping people under debris. On Wednesday, seven people were feared still trapped; two survivors and two bodies were removed, officials said.
The affected area is about 540 miles southwest of Tokyo. The Nuclear Regulation Authority said no abnormalities were found at three nearby nuclear plants. Kyodo News reported that a hospital in Yatsushiro took in about 40 injured people, and about 50 others were taken to a hospital in Kumamoto city. Many major manufacturers in Kyushu suspended operations on Tuesday but found no major damage and planned to resume Wednesday.
The runway at Aso Kumamoto Airport was closed with no immediate word on reopening. A train derailed and fell on its side at Yatsushiro station, and stone walls were damaged at Kumamoto Castle, a major tourist site still being repaired after a deadly 2016 quake that killed at least 50 people.
"The shaking reminded me of the Kumamoto quake (10 years ago) and I was frightened," said Hiroki Shimoda, an official at Mifune town hall, who saw roof tiles crash to the ground. Shinji Kiyomoto of the Japan Meteorological Agency urged residents to be cautious over the next two to three days due to potential aftershocks.
