Five dead, many injured and missing… What we know about the powerful earthquake that struck southwestern Japan

Japan was struck by a 7.1 magnitude earthquake on Tuesday. At least five people have died, and several others are missing or injured. Rescue efforts are still underway.

Japan is once again facing a devastating natural disaster. A magnitude 7.1 earthquake struck southwestern Japan on Tuesday, on the island of Kyushu, causing buildings to collapse, fires, and a massive rescue operation. At least five people have died, and many others are injured or missing, according to information released by Japanese authorities. 20 Minutes provides an update on the situation.

What exactly happened?

The earthquake struck Kyushu on Tuesday at 4:27 p.m. (7:27 a.m. GMT). According to the Japan Meteorological Agency (JMA), the 7.1 magnitude quake reached the highest level of 7 on the Japanese seismic intensity scale. A tsunami warning was issued but later lifted.

The damage is extensive in several areas. In Kashima, the second floor of a shopping mall collapsed after a powerful explosion was heard. According to NHK, between 20 and 30 employees of the Aeon Mall are still unreachable. TBS reports that a "considerable number" of people may have died. Bridges were also damaged, buildings were gutted, freight cars overturned, and twelve houses collapsed near Yatsushiro.

What is the provisional death toll?

At least five people died, including two women, at the shopping mall in Kumamoto Prefecture, according to Kyodo News. Several people were also missing at the Nippon Paper Industries factory, while two hospitals reported treating at least 100 injured people each. Several people were also missing at a factory in Yatsushiro City, further south, where the top of a chimney collapsed. NHK also reported that about 10 people were injured at a nursing home.

Among residents and witnesses, the tremor triggered a wave of panic. "The shaking was quite strong and lasted a long time. I was terrified," Chiharu Hara, who was in Kumamoto on business, told AFP. She added, "Nothing fell from the ceiling, but the building swayed violently. I was afraid it would collapse. Everyone panicked." An NHK employee at the scene also testified: "The shaking was so strong that I couldn't stand up."

What is the current situation?

Authorities are continuing to assess the extent of the material and human damage. "We are still evaluating the extent of the injuries and property damage," said Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi . She added that "power outages and fires are occurring in some areas, roads and bridges have been damaged, and buildings have collapsed."

The Japanese military mobilized 3,600 personnel and approximately 20 aircraft to participate in the rescue operations. Around 45,000 homes and businesses were left without power in Kumamoto Prefecture. No anomalies were reported at the region's nuclear power plants, whose three operating reactors continued to function normally. As a precaution, the Taiwanese company TSMC announced it had evacuated personnel from its semiconductor plant in Kumamoto.