At least two killed in Japan quake after blast at Kumamoto mall

A powerful 7.1-magnitude earthquake struck Japan's southern Kumamoto prefecture on July 28, triggering a deadly explosion and collapse at a shopping mall. At least two women in their 20s were confirmed dead after being rescued from the Aeon Mall Kumamoto.

Rescuers worked through the night, pulling eight people from the blast site. In addition to the fatalities, one person suffered cardiopulmonary arrest, and five others sustained non-life-threatening injuries. The explosion tore away one side of the mall, exposing its internal structure and scattering debris.

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We have already been informed that people have been injured. Power outages and fires have occurred in some areas, and there has also been damage to roads and bridges and the collapse of buildings.

The earthquake also caused significant infrastructure damage, knocking out power to thousands of homes and rupturing roads and bridges. Authorities reported multiple building fires and collapses across the region. Thousands of residents were instructed to seek shelter in evacuation centers as aftershocks continued.

At a Nippon Paper Industries factory, a chimney collapse left multiple people unaccounted for. Hospitals reported treating over 50 individuals each, with some in serious condition. High-speed train passengers also sustained injuries during the quake. The cause of the mall explosion is under investigation, with a gas explosion being a possibility.

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It was a huge impact. A large cloud of smoke billowed up, and because the wind happened to be blowing and the wind direction was towards the shop, the area around us was in a state like volcanic ash was falling.