Authorities in Japan reported Tuesday afternoon that several people were killed and others trapped at multiple sites after a powerful 7.1-magnitude earthquake caused widespread destruction in the Kumamoto area on the southern island of Kyushu. The total number of casualties remained unclear, but according to reports, at least several people were killed when a shopping mall collapsed following an explosion.
The earthquake struck at 4:27 p.m. local time (10:27 a.m. Israel time). Its epicenter was about 20 kilometers (12 miles) south of Kumamoto, a city of about 700,000 residents.
The devastation in the Kumamoto earthquake
The shopping mall whose second floor reportedly collapsed was an Aeon mall in Kumamoto. Japan's public broadcaster NHK reported Tuesday afternoon that between 20 and 30 employees were trapped inside and could not be reached. Shortly beforehand, local police said they believed there were "quite a few" fatalities at the scene.
A spokesperson for the mall said customers and employees were evacuated immediately after the earthquake and that the cause of the explosion remains unclear.
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The extensive destruction at the mall that collapsed in Kumamoto, this afternoon
(Photo: Kyodo/via REUTERS)
(Photo: Kyodo/via REUTERS)
(Photo: Kyodo/via REUTERS)
At the same time, NHK reported that people were also missing at a Nippon Paper factory in Kumamoto after a smokestack at the site collapsed.
Japanese media also reported that several people were injured when a high-speed train derailed and tipped onto its side in the city of Yatsushiro in the Kumamoto area. Infrastructure and roads also sustained damage. Images released from Japan showed a partially collapsed bridge in Yatsushiro, while another bridge was visibly cracked. A hospital in Yatsushiro said it had received about 40 injured people.
A bridge that collapsed in the area of the city of Yatsushiro
(Photo: Kyodo/via REUTERS)
Another bridge there cracked
(Photo: Kyodo/via REUTERS)
According to the reports, additional buildings caught fire or partially collapsed after the earthquake. Rail service across the region was suspended, as were operations at airports. Kyushu Electric Power said about 48,000 customers lost electricity, while Japan's disaster management agency said about 300,000 people had been instructed to evacuate to emergency shelters.
A tsunami warning was initially issued after the earthquake but was later lifted. Authorities said there were no concerns about damage to any nuclear power plants.
The train that derailed following the noise. There were also several injured there
(Photo: Reuters)
The wall of the ancient Kumamoto Castle collapsed
(Photo: Kyodo/via REUTERS)
A house that caught fire following the powerful earthquake
(Photo: Kyodo/via REUTERS)
Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi said shortly after the earthquake that authorities were still assessing the extent of the damage in the region, which was hit exactly a decade ago by a major earthquake that killed 275 people and injured another 2,739.
She said 3,600 troops would assist with rescue and recovery efforts.
"We have already received reports of casualties. Power outages and fires have occurred in some areas, and there is also damage to roads and bridges, as well as collapsed buildings," Takaichi said. "I urge everyone to take steps to protect themselves and evacuate to a safe place."
(Photo: Kyodo/via REUTERS)
(Photo: JIJI PRESS / AFP)
Residents in Japan fled to the streets
(Photo: JIJI PRESS / JIJI PRESS / AFP)
Japan is among the world's most earthquake-prone countries, with seismic activity occurring on average every five minutes. It sits on the Pacific "Ring of Fire," a seismically active belt known for frequent earthquakes and volcanic activity.
The country still vividly remembers the March 11, 2011 disaster, when a magnitude-9 earthquake triggered massive tsunami waves that swept far inland and caused the nuclear accident at the Fukushima power plant. More than 18,000 people were killed, more than 6,000 were injured and entire towns were wiped off the map.