Dozens Still Injured Or Missing After 7.1 Magnitude Quake Hits Southern Japan

TOKYO (AP) — 7.1 magnitude earthquake shook Japan Dozens of people were injured or missing when part of a shopping mall and a large chimney of a paper mill collapsed on the main southern island of Kyushu on Tuesday, authorities said. A. tsunami The recommendation was issued but quickly removed.

There were fears that at least two people had died.

In Kashima Town, the earthquake collapsed the second floor of the Aeon Mall, trapping an unknown number of people there, according to the fire department in the Kumamoto prefectural capital. Japan’s NHK national television said the collapse followed an explosion believed to have been caused by a gas leak in the building.

Kumamoto prefecture’s emergency response team said four people were rescued with injuries and taken to hospital, while 10 others were missing. It was stated that the extent of the damage was being investigated while search and rescue efforts continued.

The Kumamoto emergency team said that a chimney collapsed and the building was damaged at Nippon Paper Industries Co.’s Yatsushiro factory, leaving 11 people trapped under the rubble. Two of them were later found without vital signs, while the condition of the other nine was unknown, the team said.

The Fire and Disaster Management Agency said more than 260,000 people were advised to evacuate, mostly in Kumamoto prefecture but also in neighboring Nagasaki prefecture.

The affected area is approximately 900 kilometers (540 miles) to the southwest. Tokyocapital of the country.

The Japan Meteorological Agency said the tsunami warning for the Ariake and Yatsushiro Seas on the west coast of Kumamoto prefecture and three neighboring prefectures was lifted within two hours.

Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi told reporters there were reports of damage to roads, bridges and buildings, as well as power outages and fires, but details were unclear.

The Fire and Disaster Management Agency said no major public facilities or infrastructure were damaged. The Japan Nuclear Regulatory Agency said no abnormalities were found at three nearby nuclear power plants. NHK said Kumamoto police received more than 100 emergency calls following the earthquake.

Kyodo News said a hospital in the city of Yatsushiro treated about 40 injured people, and about 50 people were taken to a hospital in the city of Kumamoto.

The earthquake also affected some major manufacturers in Kyushu.

Toyota Motor Corp. said it has suspended operations at three of its plants in Kyushu partly due to safety issues and will reopen on Wednesday. Toyota said there were no reports of injuries or damage to the plant, although the company was still assessing the situation.

According to the Nikkei newspaper, Honda Motor Co. and Nippon Paper also suspended their operations, and Yamato Transport Co. has also suspended delivery services in and out of Kumamoto.

Shinkansen bullet trains and local trains in Kyushu have been suspended for security checks and the runway at Aso Kumamoto Airport has been closed, with “no possibility of resuming operations” anytime soon, according to an announcement on the airport’s website. There were no details.

The Japanese Ministry of Defense announced that it sent military aircraft to the region to assess the situation.

Kyodo said a train derailed and fell on its side at Yatsushiro station, and stone walls were damaged at the main tourist attraction, Kumamoto Castle, which was badly damaged in the 2016 earthquake and is still being repaired.

“The shaking reminded me of the Kumamoto earthquake (10 years ago) and I was scared,” said Mifune city hall official Hiroki Shimoda, who saw roof tiles from nearby houses falling to the ground. Kumamoto was hit A deadly earthquake in 2016 It caused the death of at least 50 people.

Shinji Kiyomoto of the Japan Meteorological Agency urged residents to exercise caution for the next two to three days.

The deputy spokesman for UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres expressed his condolences to those in danger and to the people of Japan.

“Our hearts go out to the people affected by this earthquake,” deputy spokesman Farhan Haq said. “National authorities are leading the response, but we stand ready to provide support if necessary.”

Associated Press writers Yuri Kageyama in Tokyo and Edith M. Lederer at the United Nations contributed to this report.