At least 13 have said to be killed in the recent earthquake in Japan on Tuesday. An earthquake registering a magnitude of 7.1 shook Kumamoto on Japan’s southern main island of Kyushu late Tuesday afternoon, causing damage and injuries, officials said. Two hospitals reported taking in at least 50 injured patients each, as per media reports.
A tsunami advisory was also issued temporarily but lifted within two hours, the Japan Meteorological Agency added.
Two were feared killed in a stricken shopping mall, authorities said, after the quake toppled buildings, sparked fires and reportedly injured more than 100.
Japan’s Prime Minister Fumio Takaichi, in a message posted on X, said her government had set up a task force to gather information, assess the possible damages and prepare for rescue operations.
An emergency disaster Team has been formed at the countermeasures headquarters with the Japanese Prime Minister as the head. “Countermeasures Headquarters, with myself as the head and relevant Cabinet Ministers as members, and held the first Emergency Disaster Countermeasures Headquarters meeting at 7:49 p.m.” She added that in the disaster-stricken areas, power outages and water shortages are occurring, and the situation raises concerns about heatstroke as well.
Many roads were closed, and high-speed Shinkansen train services were suspended in the region. Kumamoto airport was closed before being re-opened on Tuesday evening.
Aerial footage of southern western Kumamoto region on the island Kyushu aired by news agencies showed several blazes, damaged bridges, a derailed cargo train and a number of houses threatening to topple over.
The last major earthquake reported in Japan was in 2024, when a similar magnitude shock the coast of southern Miyazaki triggering the advisory on higher than usuak risks of megaquake.
