Disasters have piled up this summer, already marked by heat waves, wildfires, typhoons and floods. A powerful earthquake in southern Japan has further intensified this string of adverse events, with the Kumamoto earthquake Japan has now confirmed as one of its deadliest disasters in recent years.
A magnitude 7.1 earthquake struck Kumamoto Prefecture on Japan’s southern island of Kyushu on Tuesday, July 28, according to the Japan Meteorological Agency. The quake, officially named the 2026 Kumamoto earthquake, hit at a depth of about 10km and prompted a tsunami advisory that was quickly lifted.
Death Toll Rising as Search Continues
By Thursday, July 30, rescuers confirmed the death toll had climbed to at least 25, with nine additional deaths under investigation as likely related to the disaster, according to the Kumamoto prefectural government. The number of people still missing remained unclear as search efforts continued.
Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi said Wednesday morning local time that 13 people had been found dead, with many others injured or still missing as rescue work continued overnight. That figure has since risen considerably as recovery operations progressed. At least 62 people were injured, six of them seriously, the prefectural government said.
Shopping Mall Collapse and Explosion
The most serious damage occurred at the Aeon Mall shopping centre in the town of Kashima, which was crowded with thousands of people when the earthquake struck in the late afternoon. The mall’s second floor collapsed, trapping an unknown number of people inside.
The company operating the mall said around 3,000 customers were evacuated to a parking lot before an explosion occurred in another part of the building, where some staff were still working. Soldiers and emergency workers have since combed through the badly damaged mall, along with collapsed houses across the region, searching for trapped survivors.
Widespread Damage Across the Region
The earthquake also toppled a chimney at Nippon Paper Industries’ Yatsushiro factory, where eight people died, two were injured and one remained unaccounted for. Roughly 300,000 people in Kumamoto Prefecture were instructed to seek shelter at evacuation centres following the quake.
Bullet train services remained suspended in the affected region. Although operations resumed at Aso Kumamoto Airport, some airlines cancelled flights as a precaution.
Government Response and Historical Context
Takaichi said the federal government was preparing to deliver food and other necessities to hard-hit areas. She offered condolences to victims and their families, and urged those affected by the quake to take care of themselves amid sweltering summer heat, which has heightened concerns for survivors as rescuers work through the rubble.
Kumamoto previously experienced a deadly earthquake in 2016 that killed at least 50 people, making this the region’s most significant seismic disaster in a decade.
