In brief
A 7.1‑magnitude quake struck Japan’s Kyushu region, leaving 13 dead, more than 20 injured and a surge of 100+ aftershocks that are still shaking communities. Rescue teams, led by the Japanese Prime Minister, are combing through rubble at the Aeon Mall in Kumamoto after a mysterious explosion added to the chaos. Power outages and heat‑stroke warnings in a 35°C heatwave complicate efforts, while defense officials are mobilising air‑conditioning units to aid survivors. The quake’s shallow 10 km epicentre near Kumamoto has prompted a nationwide alert for strong tremors over the next week.
A 7.1‑magnitude quake hit Japan’s Kyushu island at 16:27 local time, killing 13 people and leaving dozens injured.
Scientists report more than 100 aftershocks in the ensuing days, with several measuring up to intensity 7 on the MMI scale.
Rescue crews are excavating rubble in the Aeon Mall in Kumamoto after a second‑floor explosion followed the quake, and a Japanese army chief warned that the region was “a race against time.”
Utility outages and a 35°C heat wave have made cleanup harder, prompting the Ministry of Defence to send 300 air‑conditioning units to the worst‑hit districts.
A 10‑km shallow epicentre near Kumamoto has spurred a nationwide alert for powerful aftershocks in the coming week.
