Japan mobilizes all assets to rescue earthquake survivors as death toll rises

Rescue teams in southern Japan are in a desperate race against time to find survivors following a powerful 7.1 magnitude earthquake that struck the island of Kyushu. The tremor has claimed at least 13 lives, with authorities reporting extensive damage, including collapsed buildings, fires, and damaged roads.

Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi stated that the scale of destruction is significant and emphasized the urgency of the rescue efforts. "There are still victims waiting to be rescued, and this is a race against time," Takaichi told reporters in Tokyo. "We will mobilize all available assets to save as many victims as possible."

Thousands of homes are without electricity, impacting essential services like hospitals. Some medical facilities near the epicenter have suspended new patient admissions due to power outages and the overwhelming number of casualties. According to government spokesperson Minoru Kihara, seven individuals are in critical condition, and over 9,000 residents have been evacuated to 506 temporary shelters across three prefectures on Kyushu.

In Kumamoto city, eight people were rescued from a partially collapsed shopping mall, though three of them later died. The mall's operator, Aeon, reported that four employees remain unaccounted for. Authorities are investigating the possibility of a gas explosion within the mall, as rescuers detected a gas odor. Aeon stated the explosion likely occurred after all customers and staff had evacuated. Firefighters, police, and approximately 170 soldiers are focusing their efforts on sections of the building where victims might still be trapped, based on emergency calls received.

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There are still victims waiting to be rescued, and this is a race against time. We will mobilize all available assets to save as many victims as possible.