Japan earthquake kills at least 5 as rescuers search for people trapped in damaged mall and factory

A 7.1 magnitude earthquake struck the Kumamoto Prefecture in southern Japan on Tuesday, resulting in at least five deaths and dozens of injuries. The tremor, which reached the highest level of 7 on Japan's Shindo intensity scale, caused significant structural failures across the region. Local authorities confirmed the collapse of a second floor at the Aeon Mall in Kashima City, where emergency teams continue search operations. Reports from the site indicate that a gas leak likely triggered an explosion within the shopping center.

Rescue efforts are also concentrated at the Nippon Paper Industries Yatsushiro Plant. A collapsed chimney at the facility left at least 11 people trapped, and emergency personnel found two individuals without vital signs. Across the Kumamoto region, approximately 45,000 households are without electricity, while damaged bridges and cracked roads impede local movement.

Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi established an emergency operations center to coordinate disaster response. The government is managing power outages and water shortages while issuing warnings about heat-related health risks as regional temperatures reach 104 degrees Fahrenheit. Although an initial tsunami alert was issued for the coastal area, officials withdrew the warning after two hours.

Japan remains one of the most seismically active nations, situated along the Pacific Ring of Fire. While the country experiences hundreds of tremors annually, this event has caused notable disruption. The Nuclear Regulation Authority reported that local nuclear power plants are functioning normally, with no abnormalities detected at the reactors operating in the vicinity at the time of the quake.