Emergency workers in southwestern Japan are racing against time to rescue residents trapped under rubble after a powerful magnitude 6.8 earthquake struck the Kyushu region on Tuesday afternoon. The violent tremor triggered fires, shattered major infrastructure, and caused a partial collapse and explosion at a busy shopping mall in Kumamoto City.
The disaster struck Kumamoto prefecture at 4:27 p.m. local time (07:27 GMT), with its epicenter near the coastal city of Uto. At the Aeon shopping mall in Kumamoto City, panic broke out as part of the second floor caved in. Roughly an hour after employees evacuated around 200 shoppers, a sudden explosion tore through the complex, blowing out walls and leaving 10 to 30 workers unaccounted for. Rescue crews discovered two victims dead inside the mall, while four survivors were pulled from the structural damage. Nearby at the Nippon Paper plant in Yatsushiro, a massive industrial chimney collapsed, leaving two workers in cardiac arrest and nine others missing.
The earthquake's impact reverberated across the region and was even felt in neighboring South Korea. Aerial footage revealed severe structural damage across Kumamoto, including cracked sections of the Kyushu Expressway, a collapsed footbridge, and severe damage to stone walls surrounding the historic 17th-century Kumamoto Castle. Over 40,000 households lost power. A temporary tsunami advisory was issued immediately after the quake but was lifted within two hours. Meanwhile, operators at the Sendai Nuclear Power Plant in neighboring Kagoshima prefecture confirmed that no operational abnormalities were detected.
Authorities have directed roughly 300,000 residents to evacuate to temporary shelters as seismologists warn of continuing hazards. The Japan Meteorological Agency recorded more than 60 aftershocks, including a magnitude 4.1 tremor shortly after midnight, complicating ongoing search and rescue efforts. Sitting on the Pacific Ring of Fire—where major tectonic plates shift constantly—Japan experiences frequent seismic activity. Although strict building standards have historically saved lives, officials urge communities to remain alert for further tremors in the days ahead.