Japan Kumamoto earthquake kills 18, PM says race against time to find survivors

Published Jul 29, 02:51 PM UTC

A powerful earthquake struck the southern Japanese island of Kyushu on Tuesday, initially measured at magnitude 7.1 before being revised to 6.8. The quake, followed by over 60 aftershocks, caused part of the Aeon Mall in Kumamoto Prefecture to collapse, leading to an explosion. Search teams rescued eight people from the ruins, but at least 18 deaths have been confirmed, with the toll expected to rise. The earthquake sparked fires, damaged roads, and cut power to thousands of homes. Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi described the situation as a 'race against time' to find those still trapped. The Japan Meteorological Agency warned of landslides and further aftershocks over the coming week, noting ongoing seismic activity. The region is still recovering from the 2016 earthquakes that killed 275 people and damaged over 200,000 homes.