Japan Earthquake Toll Rises to 13 as Rescuers Pull Survivors from Collapsed Mall

A powerful 7.1-magnitude earthquake rocked southern Japan on Wednesday, leaving at least 13 people dead and triggering a massive rescue operation. The tremor caused significant damage, knocking out power to thousands of homes and rupturing roads across the affected region, particularly around the city of Kumamoto.

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Eight people were pulled from the rubble of a partially collapsed shopping mall near the city of Kumamoto that was torn apart by an explosion just over an hour after Tuesday’s earthquake. Of them, three died.

In a dramatic development, rescuers managed to pull eight people from the debris of a partially collapsed shopping mall near Kumamoto. The mall had been torn apart by an explosion just over an hour after the initial earthquake. Of the eight rescued, three later died. Authorities are investigating the cause of the explosion, with initial reports suggesting a possible gas leak. Fire rescue teams, police, and approximately 170 army personnel are concentrating their efforts on areas within the building where calls for help were received.

Further complicating the disaster response, five people died and two were injured at a Nippon Paper Industries factory when the quake toppled a chimney. Public broadcaster NHK reported that local officials had initially stated seven people were missing from the factory incident. The region, which experienced a deadly earthquake a decade ago, saw around 260,000 residents instructed to evacuate to temporary shelters.

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Authorities are investigating a possible gas explosion at the Aeon mall. Rescuers reported smelling gas inside the building but the cause of the incident was still under investigation.

Emergency services were inundated with calls following the quake, receiving 386 reports ranging from collapsed buildings to pleas for rescue. More than 4,500 troops have been deployed across the quake zone to assist in the ongoing recovery efforts, highlighting the scale of the devastation and the urgent need for aid and support.

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Five people died and another two were injured at a Nippon Paper Industries factory where the quake knocked over a chimney.