Kumamoto (Japan), 29 July. The death toll from the devastating earthquake of 7.1 magnitude that occurred on Tuesday night in Kumamoto Prefecture, located on Kyushu island in the south-western part of Japan, has increased to 18. Japan’s Self-Defense Force, police and hundreds of rescue workers are continuously searching for people trapped under the debris.
A Vietnamese citizen was also among the dead
Citing information from the Kumamoto prefectural government, international news agencies reported that at least 18 people had died in the earthquake, including a Vietnamese citizen, and 62 others were injured. The condition of six people among the injured is critical. Officials said the death toll could rise as search and rescue operations have not yet been completed.
Extensive damage to infrastructure, power cut in about 34,900 houses
Apart from loss of life and property, the earthquake also caused significant damage to infrastructure. About 34,900 houses still do not have electricity and about 15,000 houses still do not have access to drinking water. More than 8,800 people have been evacuated to more than 400 shelters, where officials are boosting power supplies to run air conditioning because of the extreme heat.
Aeon Mall Shopping Center most damaged
The most damaged area was the Aeon Mall shopping center in Kashima city, where thousands of people were shopping when the earthquake struck. The operator of the shopping mall said that about 3,000 customers were safely evacuated to the parking lot. About an hour after the earthquake, an explosion occurred in the area where workers were working. The cause of the explosion is believed to be gas leakage. The explosion caused the second floor of the building to collapse and many people were trapped inside.
3 Aeon Mall employees missing, at least 4 dead
Aeon Chairman Akio Yoshida said three of the store’s employees were still missing, while at least four people were confirmed dead in the explosion. He expressed his condolences to the victims and said the company was working closely with authorities to assist in rescue efforts.
Images from the scene showed a portion of the shopping mall’s roof collapsing, leaving pieces of metal and concrete scattered around as rescuers wearing helmets and masks continued to search through the debris.
Apart from the shopping mall, many other structures were destroyed.
Not only the shopping mall but many other structures were also destroyed, including a Nippon Paper Industries factory, a 16th-century temple located in the Nuyamazu district, and several houses in a residential area. Some of which were washed away into the nearby river.
Japanese PM Takaichi said – ‘Some people are still waiting for rescue‘
Meanwhile, Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi said there were still many people waiting to be rescued and that the rescue operation was a race against time. He said the government will mobilize all available resources and immediately deliver food, water and other essential supplies to the worst-affected areas. He expressed condolences to the affected families and appealed to the earthquake affected people to take care of themselves in the scorching heat.
Along with firefighters from Taiwan, rescue teams from different areas also took part in the search operation. Shinkansen bullet train services remained suspended throughout the day on Wednesday due to the earthquake. Although Kumamoto Aso Airport reopened, some airlines suspended flights due to safety concerns.
It is noteworthy that Japan is one of those countries in the world where earthquakes occur frequently. Earlier in 2016, at least 50 people were killed in an earthquake that occurred in Kumamoto province.
