Japan earthquake leaves at least 50 injured, many trapped in collapsed shopping mall
A 6.8-magnitude earthquake struck southern Japan, injuring at least 50 people, trapping many inside a partially collapsed shopping mall, and prompting evacuation orders for about 300,000 residents.
A powerful earthquake with a magnitude of 6.8 hit southern Japan on Tuesday afternoon, causing significant damage in Kumamoto prefecture on Kyushu island. At least 50 people have been injured, and many are trapped inside a partially collapsed Aeon shopping mall where an explosion occurred shortly after the quake. Fire services reported that the blast trapped “many people,” and broadcaster TBS said police indicated “quite a few” were presumed dead. NHK reported that one hospital had treated more than 50 injuries, and local media said several people on a high-speed train were also hurt.
Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi told reporters that authorities were still assessing the damage and urged residents to evacuate to safety. The disaster management agency ordered about 300,000 people to evacuation centers. The Japan Meteorological Agency warned that the area remains at risk of strong aftershocks and landslides for about a week, with over 60 aftershocks ranging from magnitude 1 to 4 recorded so far.
The earthquake damaged roads, bridges, and buildings. NHK footage showed several buildings on fire or partially collapsed, and large cracks appeared on major roads, including an elevated highway. Nippon Paper Industries’ smokestack in Yatsushiro collapsed. Parts of Kumamoto Castle’s stone walls are believed to have been damaged again. Kyushu Electric Power reported 48,000 homes lost power, and JR Kyushu suspended services, including bullet trains. Kumamoto airport shut its runway, leading to flight cancellations and diversions. Telecom operators KDDI and NTT Docomo reported disruptions to mobile services due to power outages and transmission line failures.
TSMC, Sony, and Fujifilm evacuated workers from their factories in the area. Japan’s nuclear regulation authority said no irregularities were detected at nuclear power stations. A tsunami warning was issued but lifted after two hours. The epicenter was about 20 kilometers south of Kumamoto city, home to 700,000 people. The US Geological Survey initially reported a magnitude of 7.1 but later revised it to 6.8.
