JAPAN: A powerful 7.1-magnitude earthquake struck Japan’s southern Kumamoto Prefecture on Tuesday, causing widespread destruction, knocking out electricity to thousands of homes, damaging roads and bridges, and triggering a deadly explosion at a shopping mall where multiple people were trapped.
Authorities fear several fatalities as rescue teams continue emergency operations across the affected region.
Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi said the government was assessing the full scale of the disaster, confirming reports of injuries, fires, collapsed buildings, and significant damage to infrastructure. She urged residents to evacuate to safe locations as aftershocks continued to shake the area.
According to Japan’s disaster management agency, around 300,000 people have been ordered to evacuate, while approximately 3,600 members of the Self-Defense Forces have been deployed to assist with rescue and recovery efforts. Public broadcaster NHK reported that at least one hospital had treated more than 50 injured people, while additional injuries were reported on a high-speed train caught in the quake.
One of the most serious incidents occurred at an Aeon shopping mall, where a powerful explosion erupted shortly after the earthquake. Fire officials said multiple people were trapped inside the partially collapsed building. Police indicated that several people were feared dead, although rescue operations were still underway.
An Aeon spokesperson confirmed that customers and employees had been evacuated immediately after the initial earthquake. However, the exact cause of the explosion remains under investigation.
The earthquake also sparked fires in several buildings, caused major cracks on highways, halted rail services, grounded flights, and disrupted telecommunications. Kumamoto Airport suspended operations, while Kyushu Electric Power reported that nearly 48,000 households lost electricity. Mobile networks operated by KDDI and Docomo also experienced outages due to damaged infrastructure.
Major companies, including Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company (TSMC), Sony, and Fujifilm, evacuated employees from nearby facilities as a precautionary measure.
The earthquake's epicentre was located around 20 kilometres south of Kumamoto City on Japan’s Kyushu Island. Although a tsunami warning was initially issued, it was later lifted after further assessment.
Japan remains one of the world's most earthquake-prone countries due to its location on the Pacific Ring of Fire, where frequent seismic activity occurs. Officials have warned residents to remain alert for strong aftershocks and possible landslides over the coming week. The latest disaster also revived memories of the devastating 2016 Kumamoto earthquake, which claimed 275 lives and caused extensive destruction across the region.
