Deadly 6.8-Magnitude Earthquake Hits Japan's Kumamoto Region, Leaving 13 Dead and Dozens Trapped

A powerful earthquake struck southwestern Japan on Tuesday, killing at least 13 people and triggering a frantic rescue operation as aftershocks continued to rattle the region. The magnitude 6.8 quake hit Kumamoto prefecture on the island of Kyushu, according to the US Geological Survey, leaving a trail of collapsed buildings, fires, and shattered infrastructure.

Rescue Efforts Underway as Death Toll Rises

Rescue crews are digging through rubble at a paper factory and a shopping mall in Kumamoto prefecture, looking for trapped survivors. At the Aeon Mall in Kashima town, where a portion of the second floor collapsed, an explosion occurred in the hour after the quake struck. Footage showed white smoke rising from the building as people ran into the car park. Large parts of the mall's exterior were blown off, exposing steel beams underneath.

Aeon Mall president Akio Yoshida confirmed three people were killed in the mall explosion, while another three, all employees, remained missing. Officials said some 2,700 people were employed at the mall. Yoshida said four people were taken to hospital, adding that one person had been rescued from a restroom and another was in cardiopulmonary arrest—a term often used in preliminary reports in Japan before a death is officially confirmed.

The death toll stands at at least 13, with dozens still believed to be trapped. Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi warned that emergency services are in a "race against time" to rescue those trapped. She has put 4,600 personnel on the ground to assist with recovery and said teams would work "tirelessly through the night" to assess and monitor damage.

Survivors Describe Terrifying Moments

Residents described the sudden violence of the quake. Hiroko Ogata, 75, co-owner of a diner in Yatsushiro, said she "had never experienced this big of a jolt." She told BBC News: "I was surprised, and scared. I went under one of the tables right away, but the table moved sharply towards the right, left, right, left, with me."

Ogata, who has lived in Yatsushiro her whole life, said the area is no stranger to tremors—a pair of earthquakes in 2016 killed 277 people—but this one was different. "The last quake 10 years ago was nothing like this one," she said. "I thought I would die."

A few hundred metres from the Aeon mall, Yui was sitting in the back office of her cake shop when the quake hit. "I couldn't tell which was the sound of the earthquake and which was the sound of the explosion," she told the BBC. "All I could do was hold the chair I was sitting in as big jolts came one after another. I didn't know what to feel; I couldn't even feel scared in such a situation. Even now I don't know what to feel, and I don't know how to explain."

Widespread Damage and Ongoing Aftershocks

The region has experienced more than 100 aftershocks since the initial quake. Tens of thousands of people are in evacuation centres, and many are without power. At least 45 medical facilities have been damaged, according to reports.

The Japan Meteorological Agency (JMA) is urging residents to be alert for more strong earthquakes. "For the next week or so, especially the next two to three days, we would like people to watch out for potential earthquakes with a maximum seismic intensity of 7," a JMA official said, as reported by public broadcaster NHK.

Damage is widespread, including to the historic Kumamoto Castle, whose exterior walls collapsed. The castle, dating back to the 17th century, is a major cultural landmark.

Amid searing heat, rescue crews continue their painstaking work, racing against time to find the missing. The full scale of the disaster is still emerging as aftershocks continue to shake the region.