The death toll from the powerful earthquake that struck southwestern Japan has risen to 34 as rescue teams continue searching for survivors beneath collapsed buildings in Kumamoto Prefecture.
The magnitude 6.8 earthquake struck Kyushu Island on Tuesday, causing extensive damage to homes, businesses and power infrastructure.
Authorities say dozens of people remain displaced while emergency workers race against time to locate anyone still trapped under rubble.
One of the deadliest incidents occurred at a shopping mall where part of the building collapsed before an explosion, believed to have been caused by a gas leak, ripped through the complex about an hour after the quake. Investigations into the exact cause of the blast are still ongoing.
Search-and-rescue operations remain focused on the heavily damaged shopping centre, where emergency personnel continue to clear debris in the hope of finding survivors.
Rescue efforts are also underway at a paper factory in Yatsushiro City, where part of the facility collapsed during the earthquake. At least five people were killed there, while seven of the 11 workers trapped inside have been rescued.
More than 100 aftershocks have been recorded since the initial quake, forcing many residents to spend nights in their vehicles or open spaces out of fear that more tremors could bring down weakened structures.
The disaster has displaced about 9,000 people, who are now staying in evacuation centres across the prefecture. More than 30,000 households also remained without electricity as authorities worked to restore essential services.
Relief efforts are now being complicated by intense heat, with temperatures expected to reach as high as 39 degrees Celsius in the coming days. Officials have warned both evacuees and rescue workers to take precautions against heatstroke.
Japan’s Defence Minister, Shinjiro Koizumi, announced the deployment of 300 air-conditioning units to the affected area, with half of them designated for evacuation centres to help ease the harsh conditions.
Workers at the shelters say the lack of electricity and running water in the immediate aftermath of the earthquake made conditions especially difficult.
At one evacuation centre housing around 1,000 people, nearly one-third of the occupants are elderly, increasing concerns over heat-related illnesses. Several evacuees have already been taken to hospital with symptoms consistent with heatstroke.
Meanwhile, all 25 cats that had been left inside a cat café at the damaged shopping mall during the earthquake have been safely rescued, according to the business.
The earthquake struck at a shallow depth of about 10 kilometres, sending strong tremors across Kumamoto Prefecture and surrounding areas.
Many residents described the earthquake as the strongest they had ever experienced. A 75-year-old restaurant owner in Yatsushiro recalled taking cover beneath a table as her building shook violently, saying she feared she would not survive.
Authorities have urged residents to remain alert as aftershocks continue, while rescue teams press on with efforts to locate anyone still missing.
SOURCE: BBC