Powerful Quake Hits Southern Japan, Deaths Feared In Shopping Mall Explosion

TOKYO, July 28 (Reuters) – A 7.1 magnitude earthquake occurred JapanThe incident, which occurred in southern Kumamoto prefecture on Tuesday, knocked out power to thousands of homes, damaged roads and left some stranded, while others are presumed dead in a partially collapsed shopping mall.

Speaking to reporters in Tokyo JapanPrime Minister Sanae Takaichi said authorities were still assessing the extent of damage in the region, which was devastated by a deadly earthquake a decade ago.

“We were informed that people were injured. There were power outages and fires in some areas, as well as damage to roads and bridges and collapse of buildings,” Takaichi said.

“I ask everyone to take action to protect themselves, including evacuating to safety.”

Nearly 300,000 people were ordered to evacuation centers and hundreds of soldiers were deployed to assist in rescue operations as aftershocks continued in the region. Japan’The southern island of Kyushu.

NHK broadcaster reported that many people could not be heard from after the chimney collapsed at the Nippon Paper Industries 3836.T factory.

NHK said about 20 to 30 workers were missing at the state’s largest shopping mall, which was shaken by the explosion that followed the earthquake.

The fire department had previously said many people were trapped inside, while police said “quite a few” people were presumed dead in the incident, broadcaster TBS reported.

In the images, steel beams were exposed as a result of the collapse of one side of the shopping center, which contained approximately 200 stores, and rubble was scattered 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 8267.T said customers and employees were evacuated immediately after the initial earthquake and that the exact cause of the ensuing explosion was unclear.

Kazuya Tsurunaga told TBS that he heard the explosion while cleaning plates broken by the earthquake at a bar about 300 meters away from the Aeon shopping mall.

“It was a huge impact,” he said. “A huge cloud of smoke rose up and because the wind was blowing and the wind direction was towards the shop, the area around us looked like it was raining volcanic ash.”

Public broadcaster NHK reported that there were more than 50 injured in one hospital and around 40 injured in another, 10 of whom were in serious condition. According to media reports, many people on the high-speed train were injured during the earthquake.

Many other buildings were also burning or partially destroyed, NHK footage showed, while large cracks appeared on major roads, including an elevated highway. Rail services were suspended and flights were suspended.

The world’s largest contract chip manufacturers TSMC 2330.TW, Sony 6758.T and Fujifilm 4901.T evacuated their workers from their factories after the earthquake.

Another major chipmaker, Tokyo Electron 8035.T, said it was suspending operations at two factories in Kumamoto until Wednesday, while Honda 7267.T said it would temporarily shut down its motorcycle factory there.

The epicenter was about 20 kilometers (12 miles) south of Kumamoto City, the largest city in central Kyushu with a population of about 700,000.

Residents in areas feeling the biggest tremors should be wary of the risk of landslides as well as stronger earthquakes for about a week, the official said. Japan The Meteorological Agency said.

Located along the “Ring of Fire” consisting of volcanoes and ocean trenches that partially surround the Pacific Basin, Japan It accounts for approximately 20% of the world’s earthquakes of magnitude 6.0 or greater.

A tsunami warning was issued immediately after Tuesday’s earthquake, but was later lifted.

Kyushu Electric Power said 48,000 homes lost power due to the latest earthquake, while railway company JR Kyushu said it suspended services, including high-speed bullet trains. Kumamoto airport also closed its runway as airlines diverted and canceled flights.

Telecom operators KDDI and Docomo said mobile phone services were disrupted due to power outages and transmission line failures.

No irregularities were reported at nuclear power plants in the region. Japan‘s nuclear regulatory authority said.

According to official figures, in the great earthquake that occurred in Kumamoto 10 years ago, 275 people died, 2,739 people were injured and thousands of buildings were damaged, including the city’s castle, one of the most important tourist attractions.

Parts of the stone walls in the castle also collapsed as a result of Tuesday’s earthquake, an official from the castle’s office said.

With thousands of homes still without power as night fell, authorities warned residents of the risk of heatstroke as temperatures reached 34 degrees Celsius (93 degrees Fahrenheit) on Wednesday.

(Reporting by Chang-Ran Kim, Anton Bridge, Kantaro Komiya, Mariko Katsumura, Hina Suzuki and Tim Kelly; Writing by John Geddie; Editing by Kate Mayberry and Alex Richardson)