Japan Kumamoto earthquake: What happened, damage, victims, latest updates

What the report says

Al Jazeera, citing Reuters and Japanese public broadcaster NHK, reported that a strong earthquake hit Kumamoto prefecture on Japan’s southwestern island of Kyushu on Tuesday afternoon, causing collapsed buildings, fires and major disruption. The US Geological Survey initially put the quake at magnitude 7.1 before revising it to 6.8. The tremor struck at 4:30pm local time, with an epicentre near Uto, about 48km southwest of Kumamoto City. A tsunami advisory was issued after the quake and later withdrawn.

Authorities were still measuring the damage as rescue operations continued through aftershocks. Al Jazeera reported that roads were badly damaged, power was cut to thousands of homes, and NHK footage showed damage to the Kyushu Expressway and to a wall at Kumamoto Castle. Officials said no abnormality was detected at the Sendai Nuclear Power Plant in neighbouring Kagoshima prefecture.

The most serious reported incident involved the Aeon shopping mall in Kumamoto City, where part of the second floor collapsed and an explosion occurred about an hour after the quake. Around 200 shoppers had been evacuated, but NHK said 20 to 30 employees were initially unaccounted for. Police said at least one person died after being found in a collapsed house. Hospitals reported receiving dozens of injured people, including some in serious condition, and about 300,000 people were instructed to go to evacuation centres.

Japan is highly earthquake-prone because it lies on the Pacific Ring of Fire, where major tectonic plates meet. The report noted that strict building rules and preparedness drills reduce risks, but powerful quakes can still cause severe damage.