Deaths feared after ‘many people’ trapped inside Japanese shopping centre following earthquake – live updates | Japan
Deaths feared as ‘large numbers’ trapped in shopping mall in Japan – reports
A “significant number” of people are feared dead at a shopping mall damaged by a massive earthquake in southwestern Japan, broadcaster TBS said.
TV Asahi also reported “several deaths” at the mall, citing a local police source. Meanwhile, Fuji TV also reported that there were deaths.
Emergency services had previously said “many people” were trapped inside the building after a floor collapsed.
important events
images Footage taken at a Costco in Kumamoto showed shoppers trying to hide after shelves collapsed following the 7.1 magnitude earthquake.
Joe Pinner
Japan’s public broadcaster NHK reported that two people had heart attacks and nine people were missing after a chimney collapsed at the Nippon Paper Industries Yatsushiro factory in Kumamoto.
According to the Fire and Disaster Management Department of the Ministry of Internal Affairs and Communications, local fire crews reported that “there were nine people in need of rescue.”
According to Kumamoto Prefecture’s statement, two people were found in a state of heart-lung attack.
According to Reuters, Aeon shopping mall reopened last month after a reconstruction process since it was destroyed in the 7.3 magnitude Kumamoto earthquake in 2016.
What we know so far
-
At least 50 people were injured in the 6.8 magnitude earthquake that occurred in southern Japan. Some were trapped in a shopping mall and presumed dead. The earthquake struck Kumamoto prefecture on the southern island of Kyushu on Tuesday afternoon, knocking out power to thousands of homes and damaging roads, bridges and buildings.
-
Japanese prime minister Sanae Takaichi told reporters that authorities were still assessing the extent of damage in the region, which was devastated by another deadly earthquake a decade ago. “We had previously received information that there were injuries. “There were power outages and fires in some areas, as well as damage to roads and bridges, and buildings collapsed,” said Takaichi, adding: “I ask everyone to take action to protect themselves, including evacuating themselves to a safe place.”
-
An explosion ripped through the Aeon shopping mall shortly after the earthquake, trapping “a large number of people”, the fire department said. Broadcaster TBS reported that police said “quite a few” people were presumed dead. NHK said about 20 to 30 workers at the mall were missing.
-
An Aeon spokesman said customers and employees were evacuated after the initial earthquake and the cause of the explosion remained unclear. Images show one side of the shopping mall, the largest in the province with approximately 200 stores, being torn apart, exposing steel beams and scattering debris into the neighboring parking lot. Several ambulances and fire trucks were parked outside as rescuers searched for survivors.
-
The disaster management agency said about 300,000 people had been ordered to go to evacuation centres. According to the Japan Meteorological Agency, areas experiencing the biggest tremors will be at risk of stronger earthquakes and landslides for about a week as the shallow quake triggers active seismic activity in the region.
-
The agency said more than 60 aftershocks ranging in magnitude from 1 to 4 have occurred so far. A tsunami warning was issued immediately after the earthquake, but it was lifted within two hours. One person died when a house collapsed during an earthquake in southwestern Japan, Kyodo News reported.
-
Public broadcaster NHK said one hospital reported more than 50 injured people and another reported about 40 injured, 10 of whom were in serious condition. According to local media reports, many people on the high-speed train were injured during the earthquake, and many people were left unaccounted for after the chimney collapsed at a factory of Nippon Paper Industries.
-
The epicenter was about 20 kilometers south of Kumamoto, the largest city on the central island of Kyushu with a population of about 700,000. The US Geological Survey initially stated that the magnitude of the earthquake was 7.1, but later revised this magnitude to 6.8.
Read our full report here:
Joe Pinner
A gas leak may have caused the explosion in the shopping centre, which is feared to have killed a “significant number” of people.
According to NHK, a senior government official told Japanese reporters that Aeon Mall Kumamoto had reported a gas leak.
The official told reporters that the cause of the explosion has not yet been confirmed, but the main gas valve was closed and police, fire brigade and Self-Defense Forces were conducting rescue operations.
An Aeon spokesman said earlier in the day that the cause of the explosion remained unclear.
When the explosion occurred in southern Kumamoto’s largest shopping mall, a camera from a car driving near the scene was seen. Recorded the moment of explosion.
A shopping mall partially collapsed in a 6.8 magnitude earthquake in southwest Japan, trapping people insideAccording to emergency services.
Today’s earthquake was recorded at a magnitude of 7.1, but this was later downgraded to 6.8 by the US Geological Survey.
This graph shows the intensity of shaking radiating from the epicenter of the earthquake.
Here are the latest images from the damage caused by the earthquake…
Deaths feared as ‘large numbers’ trapped in shopping mall in Japan – reports
A “significant number” of people are feared dead at a shopping mall damaged by a massive earthquake in southwestern Japan, broadcaster TBS said.
TV Asahi also reported “several deaths” at the mall, citing a local police source. Meanwhile, Fuji TV also reported that there were deaths.
Emergency services had previously said “many people” were trapped inside the building after a floor collapsed.
NHK said about 20 to 30 workers at the largest shopping mall in southern Kumamoto suffered casualties after being shaken by an explosion that followed the earthquake.
Fire crews had previously said that many people were trapped inside.
In the images, it was seen that one side of the shopping center, which contained approximately 200 stores, was dismantled, exposing steel beams and scattering debris in a large parking lot.
Several ambulances and fire trucks were parked outside as rescuers searched for survivors.
A spokesman for shopping mall operator Aeon said customers and employees were evacuated immediately after the initial earthquake and that the exact cause of the ensuing explosion was unclear.
The magnitude of the earthquake was reduced to 6.8
The US Geological Survey initially announced that the magnitude of the earthquake was 7.1, but later revised to 6.8.
According to the report, many people disappeared as a result of the chimney collapse in the paper mill.
“Several” people were missing due to a chimney collapse at Nippon Paper Industries’ Yatsushiro factory in Kumamoto prefecture. According to a report Japan’s public broadcaster NHK stated that the Yatsushiro police station was cited as the source of information.
The report stated that police and fire teams were investigating the issue. The facility is located in Yatsushiro city.
Allow content provided by a third party?
This article contains content hosted on platform.x.com. We ask for your consent before anything is uploaded as the provider may use cookies and other technologies. To view this content, Click ‘Allow and continue’.
As we mentioned in a previous article, Kumamoto Castle, one of Japan’s oldest and most famous castles, was damaged after today’s severe earthquake. Briefly social media postThe management of the castle wrote:
Today’s activities will be suspended due to the impact of the Kumamoto regional earthquake that occurred earlier. We ask everyone to prioritize your own safety above all else in your actions.
There were over 60 aftershocks ranging in magnitude from 1 to 4.According to the Japan Meteorological Agency.
Kyodo News agency said a hospital in the city of Yatsushiro admitted about 40 people injured in the earthquake.
Kyodo said a train derailed and fell on its side at Yatsushiro station, and stone walls at Kumamoto castle were damaged.
Yozo Kai, a priest at a Shinto shrine in the nearby town of Mashiki, said several stone lanterns had fallen. “I was worried that the main hall and the door would tilt again,” he told Kyodo.
“The shaking reminded me of the Kumamoto earthquake (10 years ago) and I was scared,” said Mifune city hall official Hiroki Shimoda, who saw the roofs of nearby houses falling to the ground.
