Japan earthquake hits Kumamoto, mall collapse traps people

Emergency teams in Japan were searching for survivors on Tuesday after a 7.1-magnitude earthquake struck Kumamoto prefecture and led to a partial structural collapse at a shopping complex in Kashima town, officials said.

The Japan Meteorological Agency said the quake occurred at 4:27 p.m. local time and was measured at a depth of 10 kilometers . The agency reported the strongest possible reading of seven on Japan’s Shindo seismic intensity scale.

Kashima town mall damaged as rescue effort begins

Local fire department reports said part of the Aeon Mall facility suffered a failure on its second floor. Officials said the collapse left an unspecified number of people trapped, and rescue operations were under way as responders worked through debris.

Authorities said early information pointed to the possibility of an explosion, but they emphasized that efforts were focused on locating and extracting survivors. Officials did not immediately provide details on how many people might be inside the affected area or the extent of the structural damage across the complex.

Tsunami warning lifted as safety checks continue

Officials said a tsunami warning that was issued immediately after the earthquake was rescinded shortly afterward. Even with the warning lifted, emergency protocols remained active as authorities assessed public safety conditions and checked for wider damage.

Officials said assessments were continuing to determine potential impacts on regional infrastructure. They did not release confirmed casualty figures, and said further updates were expected once teams could reach more of the damaged sections of the shopping center.

Kumamoto’s history of major quakes shapes the response

The earthquake occurred in a region that has previously experienced significant seismic events. Officials noted that Kumamoto was hit by two major earthquakes in 2016, which resulted in 273 fatalities and left thousands injured.

With that history in mind, authorities said they were treating the latest incident as a serious public safety emergency while information remained incomplete. Officials said the immediate priority was the search-and-rescue operation and securing unstable areas as inspections continue.

The number of people trapped and the full scope of damage remained uncertain late Tuesday, officials said, adding that confirmed details would depend on access to the most affected parts of the building.