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Japan Earthquake: Death Toll Rises to 13 as Survivor Search Continues
🇦🇷 Argentina /Disasters & Emergencies

Japan Earthquake: Death Toll Rises to 13 as Survivor Search Continues

From La Nación · () Spanish

Translated from Spanish, summarized and contextualized by DistantNews.

At a glance

News Named sources Ongoing story
  • A magnitude 7.1 earthquake struck Japan's Kyushu island, resulting in at least 13 deaths and over 100 injuries.
  • Significant damage includes collapsed buildings, fires, and destroyed roads, with a shopping center experiencing an explosion and partial collapse.
  • Rescue efforts are underway, with the military mobilized, and authorities urge caution due to the risk of further seismic activity.

A powerful magnitude 7.1 earthquake rocked the southwestern Japanese island of Kyushu on Tuesday, leaving at least 13 people dead and more than 100 injured. Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi confirmed considerable damage, including fatalities, building collapses, fires, and extensive road destruction.

se confirmed damages considerable, that include victims, collapses of buildings, fires and damages in the roads

— Sanae TakaichiDescribing the impact of the earthquake.

In Kashima, near Kumamoto city, a shopping center experienced an explosion on one of its floors, leading to the collapse of roofs and walls and exposing its metallic structure. Two people died in the incident, and over a dozen were trapped. A spokesperson for AEON, the company operating the mall, stated that the explosion occurred after customers and staff were evacuated. Eight individuals were rescued at the scene, five of whom were injured.

Authorities are working to determine the exact number of people trapped in the debris, though initial estimates of 30 appear to be high. There is speculation that employees might also be among the survivors. Access to the damaged shopping center is difficult due to unsafe routes. In Yatsushiro city, two people were found in cardiopulmonary arrest at a paper factory where a chimney collapsed, and nine others remain missing.

The explosion occurred after that the clients and the personnel were evacuated

— Aeon spokespersonExplaining the sequence of events at the shopping center.

The public broadcaster NHK reported that at least 50 people were hospitalized with injuries, and 12 buildings had collapsed. Rescue teams continue searching for survivors in the damaged structures. Shinji Kiyomoto, responsible for earthquake and tsunami countermeasures, warned that the shallow earthquake was triggering active seismic activity in the region, urging residents to remain cautious for the next two to three days due to the risk of another major tremor.

eight persons were rescued in the place, among them five injured

— Aeon spokespersonReporting on the rescue operations at the shopping center.

The earthquake struck at 4:30 p.m. local time, registering the maximum level on Japan's seismic intensity scale. The Japanese military mobilized 3,600 personnel for rescue operations and deployed 20 aircraft to assess the damage. Despite several aftershocks, a tsunami alert was quickly issued and subsequently lifted. Social media has been flooded with videos showing partially destroyed bridges, devastated buildings, and derailed train cars.

the real number would be lower

— authoritiesCorrecting initial reports on the number of people trapped.
DistantNews Editorial

Originally published by La Nación in Spanish. Translated, summarized, and contextualized by our editorial team with added local perspective. Read our editorial standards.

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