Kumamoto, Japan — Rescue workers are racing against time to find survivors trapped beneath collapsed buildings after a powerful magnitude 7.1 earthquake struck Japan's Kumamoto region.
At least 17 people have been confirmed dead, while disaster management officials say six people remain missing and five others are in critical condition. Search-and-rescue teams continue to comb through piles of debris despite ongoing aftershocks, which have complicated rescue efforts and forced around 300,000 residents to evacuate.
One of the hardest-hit locations was a shopping mall in Kumamoto, where dramatic footage showed rescuers searching through twisted steel and concrete for survivors. The mall suffered a major explosion approximately 50 minutes after Tuesday's earthquake, leading to a partial building collapse.
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Eight people were pulled from the rubble, but three later died from their injuries. The operator of the shopping mall has apologized following the explosion and said it is fully cooperating with authorities as investigators work to determine what caused the blast.
The earthquake also caused fresh damage to Kumamoto Castle, one of Japan's most iconic historical landmarks. Sections of the centuries-old stone walls collapsed during the powerful tremor. The castle had already sustained significant damage during the devastating 2016 Kumamoto earthquakes, making the latest destruction another painful setback for the region's cultural heritage.
Across Kumamoto, thousands of people have been affected. Homes have been damaged, transportation networks disrupted, and entire communities forced to evacuate.
"It was just like 10 years ago," one resident said. "There was a huge bang. It felt like something out of a movie. I kept asking myself, 'Is this really happening?' During the previous earthquake, it felt as though the ground was splitting apart."
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In response to the disaster, Japan has launched a large-scale emergency operation. Around 3,600 military personnel and 20 aircraft have been deployed to support rescue missions, transport supplies, evacuate residents, and assess the extent of the damage. Emergency crews continue working across the affected region, providing assistance to displaced families and searching for those still trapped beneath the rubble.
Prime Minister [Name] expressed condolences to the victims' families and pledged that the government would use every available resource to support rescue efforts and help affected communities recover.
Authorities have warned residents to remain alert as strong aftershocks continue to shake the region, raising concerns about further structural collapses and landslides.
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