- Rescue Efforts Intensify as Thousands Seek Shelter and Aftershocks Continue
TOKYO: Japan was grappling with a major humanitarian emergency on Wednesday after a powerful magnitude 7.1 earthquake struck southwestern Kumamoto Prefecture, killing at least 13 people, leaving others missing and injured, and forcing nearly 10,000 residents into evacuation centers.
Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi said the government had confirmed the deaths as rescue teams raced against time to locate survivors trapped beneath collapsed buildings.
“There are still people who are waiting to be rescued and it is a race against time,” Takaichi said. “We will mobilize our full strength to save as many people as possible.”
Thousands Mobilized for Rescue Operations
Defense Minister Shinjiro Koizumi said around 4,600 members of Japan’s Self-Defense Forces had been deployed to assist with relief and rescue operations. About 170 personnel were directly involved in efforts at a collapsed shopping center.
Around 480 police officers from 11 prefectures were also dispatched to the disaster zone. A specialized Tokyo Metropolitan Police emergency rescue team was flown by helicopter to Kumamoto to assist in searching for missing people.
Authorities warned that the continuing aftershocks were complicating rescue operations and increasing the risk of further structural collapses.
Shopping Center Collapse Leaves Victims
A major incident occurred at a shopping mall in Kashima, Kumamoto Prefecture, following an explosion after Tuesday afternoon’s earthquake. The facility, operated by the Aeon group, suffered a collapse that resulted in multiple casualties.
Local authorities confirmed that two women had died, while another woman was found unresponsive. Five additional people were injured.
Around 200 people had reportedly been evacuated from the shopping center before part of its second floor collapsed.
A 46-year-old local resident described the disaster as terrifying, saying she had visited the Aeon shopping center around noon on Tuesday.
“I went shopping at Aeon yesterday at around noon. It’s terrifying to think that I could have been caught up in what happened,” she said while staying at a community center after her home lost electricity.
Missing and Injured at Industrial Facility
At a Nippon Paper Industries facility in the prefecture, a badly damaged smokestack added to the destruction. Two people were seriously injured, two others were found unresponsive and seven remained missing, according to authorities.
Another victim, rescued from a collapsed house in Yatsushiro, was later pronounced dead at a hospital.
Transport Network Severely Disrupted
The earthquake also caused widespread disruption to transportation across the region.
Services on the Kyushu Shinkansen bullet train line remained suspended, while some tram services in Kumamoto City resumed. Authorities warned, however, that transportation could again be halted if another powerful earthquake struck.
Japan Airlines canceled 11 flights, while All Nippon Airways canceled two flights because of the disaster.
At JR Kumamoto Station, crowds gathered Wednesday morning as residents attempted to return home. Among them was 23-year-old Riko Furuta, who spent the night at her workplace because of the continuing tremors.
“I couldn’t sleep because the earthquakes continued throughout the night. It was more frightening than 10 years ago,” she said.
Businesses and Power Supplies Hit
The earthquake forced numerous businesses and factories to suspend operations, while several thousand households were left without electricity.
Honda Motor Co. temporarily halted operations at its factory in Ozu through Wednesday morning. Two plants operated by chipmaking equipment manufacturer Tokyo Electron also suspended operations.
Toyota Motor Kyushu briefly resumed production at three facilities in neighboring Fukuoka Prefecture after conducting safety inspections, but later announced another suspension from Wednesday evening through late Friday, citing logistical difficulties and disruptions affecting suppliers.
Logistics services were also affected. Sagawa Express temporarily suspended collection and delivery operations in some areas, while Japan Post halted services at post offices across Kumamoto Prefecture.
Powerful Aftershocks Keep Residents on Edge
Aftershocks continued to shake the region following the main earthquake, which struck at 4:27 p.m. Tuesday and registered the maximum level of 7 on Japan’s seismic intensity scale in parts of Kumamoto.
At seismic intensity 7, people may be unable to stand or move normally and can be thrown through the air, according to the Japan Meteorological Agency.
The disaster has revived painful memories of the devastating Kumamoto earthquake sequence of April 2016, when a magnitude 6.5 earthquake struck on April 14, followed by a magnitude 7.3 quake two days later.
As rescue workers continue searching for survivors, authorities are urging residents to remain vigilant amid the threat of further powerful aftershocks.
BY: The Times Union
