Magnitude 7.1 quake in Japan's Kumamoto kills 18, PM pledges all-out rescue

Published Jul 29, 10:23 AM UTC

A magnitude 7.1 earthquake struck the Kumamoto area on Japan's southern main island of Kyushu on July 28, 2026, killing at least 18 people and injuring 62, six seriously. Rescuers, including Japan's Self-Defence Forces and firefighters from Taiwan, searched through collapsed buildings, including the Aeon Mall in Kashima city where a gas explosion occurred after the quake, killing four and leaving three missing. At a Nippon Paper Industries factory in Yatsushino, a chimney collapse killed five, with four still trapped. Nearly 34,900 homes lost electricity and 15,000 lost water; over 8,800 people took shelter in 400+ evacuation centers. Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi pledged an all-out rescue effort amid sweltering heat.