TOKYO: The death toll from the powerful earthquake that struck southwestern Japan has risen to 28, authorities said on Thursday, as rescue teams continued searching for survivors trapped beneath the wreckage of a shopping mall destroyed by a suspected gas explosion.
Government spokesman Minoru Kihara said the revised toll includes people whose deaths are still being investigated to determine whether they were directly linked to Tuesday’s 7.1-magnitude earthquake.
“The death toll currently stands at 28, including those whose deaths are under investigation in relation to the quake,” Kihara told reporters.
Rescuers Recover More Bodies
Emergency crews pulled four more bodies from the collapsed Aeon shopping mall in Kashima, Kumamoto Prefecture, where a massive explosion ripped through the building less than an hour after it had been evacuated following the earthquake.
Rescue officials said 10 people had been pulled from the rubble. Four were confirmed dead, one showed no vital signs, while five others suffered injuries ranging from minor to severe.
Hundreds of rescue workers remained at the scene, combing through twisted steel, shattered concrete and collapsed ceilings in search of anyone still trapped.
Widespread Destruction
The earthquake caused extensive damage across Japan’s southern island of Kyushu, flattening homes, damaging bridges, sparking fires and disrupting essential services.
Officials reported that more than 22,600 households remained without electricity on Thursday, while approximately 84,000 homes continued to experience water shortages.
Residents queued for fuel and drinking water as authorities worked to restore utilities.
Factory Deaths Add to Toll
Separate from the shopping mall disaster, five people were confirmed dead at a Nippon Paper Industries factory in Yatsushiro after part of a red-and-white smokestack collapsed during the earthquake.
Four others remained unaccounted for.
Aftershocks Hamper Rescue Efforts
A series of aftershocks has continued to shake the region, complicating rescue operations and raising fears of further structural collapses.
Authorities also issued heatstroke warnings as temperatures were expected to reach at least 35°C, adding to the challenges facing emergency responders and displaced residents.
Japan’s Earthquake Risk
Japan, situated on the Pacific “Ring of Fire,” is among the world’s most earthquake-prone countries, experiencing hundreds of tremors each year.
The country is still haunted by the devastating 9.0-magnitude earthquake and tsunami in 2011, which killed or left missing around 18,500 people and triggered the Fukushima nuclear disaster.
Kumamoto Prefecture was also struck by deadly earthquakes in 2016 that killed 273 people and injured more than 2,800.
