KUMAMOTO, Japan (Reuters/AP) — Rescue teams continued searching for survivors on Wednesday after a magnitude 7.1 earthquake struck southwestern Japan, killing at least 18 people, injuring dozens more, and causing widespread damage to buildings, transportation infrastructure, and utilities across Kumamoto Prefecture.
According to Japanese authorities, hundreds of emergency personnel, including members of the Japan Self-Defense Forces, firefighters, police officers, and disaster response teams, have been deployed to search collapsed buildings and assist affected communities. Several people have been rescued from the rubble, while others remain unaccounted for.
One of the deadliest incidents occurred at Aeon Mall Kumamoto, where approximately 3,000 shoppers were safely evacuated immediately after the earthquake. About an hour later, a suspected gas explosion caused part of the shopping mall to collapse, trapping employees inside. Rescue operations remain ongoing as authorities continue to search the site.
Elsewhere, five workers were killed after a chimney collapsed at a Nippon Paper Industries facility in Yatsushiro. Other fatalities were reported in separate building and crane collapses across Kumamoto Prefecture. Authorities said at least 62 people were injured in the disaster.
The earthquake also disrupted daily life across southwestern Japan. Thousands of households were left without electricity and water, while operations of the Kyushu Shinkansen, several airports, and manufacturing facilities were temporarily suspended to allow safety inspections and damage assessments.
The Japan Meteorological Agency (JMA) warned residents to remain alert for strong aftershocks and the risk of landslides in affected areas. A tsunami advisory issued shortly after the earthquake was later lifted after no significant waves were observed.
Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi pledged that the government would continue search and rescue operations and provide immediate assistance to affected communities. More than 8,800 residents remain in evacuation centers as authorities assess the full extent of the damage.
Japan is one of the world’s most earthquake-prone countries due to its location along the Pacific Ring of Fire, where several major tectonic plates converge. Although the country enforces some of the world’s strictest earthquake-resistant building standards, powerful earthquakes continue to pose significant risks to lives, infrastructure, and the economy.
Si Venus L Peñaflor ay naging editor-in-chief ng Newsworld, isang lokal na pahayagan ng Laguna. Publisher din siya ng Daystar Gazette at Tutubi News Magazine. Siya ay isa ring pintor at doll face designer ng Ninay Dolls, ang unang Manikang Pilipino. Kasali siya sa DesignCrowd sa rank na #305 sa 640,000 graphic designers sa buong daigdig. Kasama din siya sa unang Local TV Broadcast sa Laguna na Beyond Manila. Aktibong kasapi siya ng San Pablo Jaycees Senate bilang isang JCI Senator.
- Venus L Peñaflor
- Venus L Peñaflor
- Venus L Peñaflor
- Venus L Peñaflor
