Published : 30 Jul 2026, 04:53 PM
Updated : 08 Sep 2026, 09:28 AM
The death toll from a powerful earthquake in southwestern Japan has risen to 30, with rescuers continuing to search for survivors in the worst-hit areas, the BBC reports.
The magnitude 6.8 earthquake struck Kumamoto Prefecture on Kyushu island on Tuesday, damaging homes and power lines.
Several people were killed after part of a shopping centre collapsed, while an explosion ripped through the mall about an hour later.
Around 9,000 displaced residents are staying in evacuation centres, where authorities are struggling to keep people cool and hydrated as the region endures sweltering heat, according to the British broadcaster.
Forecasts indicate temperatures could reach 39 degrees Celsius in the prefecture in the coming days, prompting officials to urge survivors and rescue workers to take precautions against heatstroke.
Japan's Defence Minister Shinjiro Koizumi announced on Wednesday that 300 air conditioners would be sent to Kumamoto, with half destined for evacuation centres, the report said.
More than 30,000 households remained without electricity as of Wednesday.
The BBC said more than 100 aftershocks have been recorded since the initial quake, forcing many residents to sleep in their cars for fear of further tremors.
Thousands of rescue personnel have been deployed. Many are searching through the rubble at Kashima's Aeon shopping centre, where part of the second floor collapsed.
The mall was rocked by another explosion about an hour after the quake.
Aeon's president said it was "very likely" caused by a gas explosion, though the cause remains under investigation.
The shopping complex had reopened only last month after being rebuilt following the deadly 2016 Kumamoto earthquakes, which killed 278 people.
Search operations are also continuing at a Nippon Paper factory in Yatsushiro city, where at least five people died after part of the building collapsed.
Of the 11 people trapped, seven have been rescued, the company said.
The earthquake struck at a shallow depth of 10km and was felt across Kumamoto Prefecture.
Hiroko Ogata, a 75-year-old restaurant owner in Yatsushiro, told the BBC she hid under a table as the building shook violently.
"I have lived here for 75 years, but I have never experienced such a big quake. I thought I would die."
