Kumamoto Quake Death Toll Reaches 28 as Rescuers Battle to Reach Mall Survivors

The death toll from a powerful earthquake that struck Kumamoto Prefecture in southwestern Japan has climbed to 28, with authorities continuing investigations into potential links for some cases. The figures were confirmed by Chief Cabinet Secretary Minoru Kihara based on police reports.

Meanwhile, hundreds of rescue workers are engaged in a desperate battle to reach potential survivors amidst the wreckage of the Aeon shopping mall in Kashima. An official from Kumamoto's disaster management office reported that 10 people were recovered from the mall, with four confirmed dead, one showing no vital signs, and five sustaining injuries.

The tremor, which occurred on July 28, inflicted extensive damage across Kyushu island. Homes were flattened, bridges damaged, and fires broke out, leaving tens of thousands of residents without essential power and water services. The region remains on edge with a string of aftershocks, compounded by stifling summer temperatures forecast to exceed 35 degrees Celsius, prompting a heatstroke warning.

Businessman Fumihiko Matsuura, 56, recounted his narrow escape, having visited the mall just a week prior. "I was here. I was just here," he said, reflecting on the close call. Footage from the scene shows rescue teams navigating through twisted steel, dangling cables, and debris inside the damaged structure.

Further complicating the situation, five people were confirmed dead and four remain unaccounted for at the Nippon Paper Industries factory in Yatsushiro city, where a smokestack partially collapsed. As of July 30, approximately 22,670 households were still without power, and around 84,000 homes faced water disruptions. Images showed residents queuing for essential supplies like gasoline and drinking water.

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