Hope dwindles for rescue in southwestern Japan quake as death toll climbs to 23 - AP News

What the report says

The Associated Press reported that hope was fading for survivors after a magnitude 7.1 earthquake struck southwestern Japan on Tuesday, severely affecting Kumamoto prefecture on the island of Kyushu. AP’s updated material said the death toll had risen to at least 25, while earlier prefectural information cited at least 23 deaths as authorities continued rescue work.

The quake damaged rural communities, including Hikawa, described by AP as among the hardest-hit areas. Reported damage included flattened homes, an explosion at a mall and the collapse of a chimney at a Nippon Paper Industries factory in Kumamoto, where search and rescue operations were continuing. Images and captions from AP showed damaged buildings, a fallen utility pole and residents seeking supplies at Hikawa Town Hall on Thursday, July 30, 2026, two days after the quake.

Many residents were still facing disrupted daily life. AP reported that some people in Hikawa lacked water, electricity or both, and that evacuees were sleeping in cars, including families parked near the town hall. In nearby Yatsushiro, AP images showed empty shelves at a convenience store, underscoring strains on local supplies.

AP also noted that the disaster revived memories of an earthquake in the same broader region 10 years earlier that killed 50 people. More generally, Japan is one of the world’s most earthquake-prone countries because it sits along active tectonic boundaries, making rapid rescue operations, infrastructure checks and emergency shelter a recurring priority after major tremors.