Horror in Japan: Survivors Recount Deadly Earthquake

Residents in Kumamoto Prefecture are grappling with the aftermath of a powerful 6.8 magnitude earthquake that struck southern Japan, leaving at least 13 people dead and hundreds injured. The seismic event has also cut off electricity and water to tens of thousands of homes, as rescue teams race against time to find survivors.

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I was shocked and terrified. I immediately hid under a table, but it moved violently in all directions with me.

Survivors recounted harrowing experiences. Hiroko Ogata, 75, co-owner of the Sendan Shokudo restaurant in Yatsushiro, described the violent shaking that destroyed her establishment. "I was shocked and terrified. I immediately hid under a table, but it moved violently in all directions with me," she said. Despite living in the seismically active Kumamoto region her entire life, Ogata stated this earthquake surpassed any previous experience, adding, "The earthquake ten years ago cannot compare to this. I thought I would die."

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The earthquake ten years ago cannot compare to this. I thought I would die.

Another resident, the owner of a patisserie near the Aeon shopping center in Kumamoto city, described the disorienting roar of the quake. "I could no longer distinguish between the sound of the earthquake and that of an explosion. All I could do was hold onto my chair as the shocks came one after another," she recalled. She noted that even hours later, she struggled to process her emotions, having had no time to feel fear during the event.

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I could no longer distinguish between the sound of the earthquake and that of an explosion. All I could do was hold onto my chair as the shocks came one after another.

Rescue efforts are focused on areas like the Aeon shopping center and a paper factory in Yatsushiro, where a chimney collapsed. Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi emphasized the urgency, stating, "There are still people waiting to be rescued. We will do our utmost to reach as many of them as possible." Thousands of military personnel, firefighters, and police have been mobilized to aid in rescue and damage assessment operations. The quake has caused widespread power outages affecting nearly 50,000 households and left over 140,000 without running water.

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There are still people waiting to be rescued. We will do our utmost to reach as many of them as possible.