Japan quake toll hits 28 as survivors struggle in heat

Rescue workers in Japan are racing against time to find survivors in the rubble of a shopping center following a powerful earthquake. The death toll has climbed to 28, and thousands are enduring sweltering heat with limited access to power and water.

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we have pulled out 10 people. Of them, four were confirmed dead. Another is without vital signs. Another five have suffered severe and minor injuries

The Aeon shopping center in Kumamoto became a focal point of rescue operations after a suspected gas explosion occurred after the earthquake. Officials reported that four bodies were recovered from the debris, with one person showing no vital signs and five others injured. The shopping center had been evacuated after the initial tremor, but an unknown number of employees remained inside when the blast occurred.

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Thank God for these shelters

Meanwhile, the 7.1-magnitude earthquake has caused widespread destruction, flattening homes and damaging infrastructure. In Uki city, hundreds of elderly residents sought refuge in a community center, sleeping on mats to escape the punishing heat, which is forecast to reach 38C over the weekend. "Thank God for these shelters," one woman said, seeking relief from the heat and mosquitoes.

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In this heat, if you don't have electricity and air conditioning, it's very tough

"In this heat, if you don't have electricity and air conditioning, it's very tough," commented Hiroyuki Matsushima, a 53-year-old supermarket employee and father of four. The disaster has left tens of thousands without power and water. At the Nippon Paper Industries factory in Yatsushiro city, five people were confirmed dead and four others remain unaccounted for after a smokestack collapsed.

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I was here. I was just here. It's like I narrowly escaped the danger.