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An earthquake with a preliminary magnitude of 7.1 jolted Japan's southern main island of Kyushu on Tuesday, causing significant damage, including the partial collapse of a shopping center and leaving dozens of people missing or injured.

The Aeon Mall shopping center in Kashima Town experienced a second-floor collapse, trapping an unknown number of people. Local police reported that 20 to 30 employees were missing, while others were rescued and hospitalized. The affected region is located about 900 kilometers southwest of Tokyo.

While a tsunami advisory was issued for the Ariake and Yatsushiro Seas, the Japan Meteorological Agency lifted it within two hours. Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi confirmed reports of damage to infrastructure like roads and bridges, as well as blackouts and fires, though details remained unclear. The Fire and Disaster Management Agency stated that no major public facilities or infrastructure sustained damage, and Japan's Nuclear Regulation Authority found no abnormalities at three nearby nuclear power plants.

In Yatsushiro city, one hospital admitted approximately 40 injured individuals, with another 50 taken to a hospital in Kumamoto city. Transportation services were severely impacted; Shinkansen bullet trains and local trains in Kyushu were suspended for safety checks, and the runway at Aso Kumamoto Airport closed with no immediate prospect of reopening. The Japanese Defense Ministry dispatched aircraft to assess the situation. A train derailed at Yatsushiro station, and stone walls at Kumamoto Castle were damaged.

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The shaking reminded me of the Kumamoto quake (10 years ago) and I was frightened.