Japan earthquake searches continue into night, with people missing in mall and collapsed factory - BBC

What the report says

BBC News reported that rescue operations continued into the night in south-west Japan after a magnitude 6.8 earthquake struck Kyushu on Tuesday afternoon local time, with the worst-hit area identified as Kumamoto prefecture. Japan’s Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi said emergency teams were facing a “race against time” and confirmed at least 13 deaths nationwide, according to the BBC live coverage.

A major focus of the response was the Aeon Mall in Kumamoto, where an explosion occurred after the quake. Aeon Mall president Akio Yoshida said three mall workers had died and three other store employees remained missing. He said the cause of the explosion was still being investigated and that the company’s priority was search and rescue. BBC reported that about 3,000 customers and between 1,300 and 1,500 staff were inside the mall when the quake hit, with customers instructed to stay in safe places until the shaking ended before evacuation.

Searches were also continuing at the Nippon Paper factory in Yatsushiro, where Takaichi said people were still in need of help. BBC’s coverage described widespread damage, including at a shrine, the mall and other buildings, while residents recounted violent shaking, falling goods and fear during the quake. One 75-year-old restaurant owner told reporters she had never experienced such a strong tremor.

The BBC said it had closed its live page but would keep its main news story updated. Japan is highly earthquake-prone, and the reported damage in Kumamoto is especially significant because the region was also struck by major quakes in 2016, after which the mall said it had been renovated under updated seismic standards.