GUWAHATI: At least 13 people were killed and dozens injured after a powerful 7.1-magnitude earthquake struck Kumamoto on Japan’s southern main island of Kyushu late Tuesday, causing widespread destruction, disrupting transport and power supplies, and triggering large-scale rescue operations.
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The earthquake struck in the afternoon, with its epicentre located about 20 kilometres south of Kumamoto City. The strong tremor caused buildings to collapse, sparked fires, damaged roads, knocked out electricity to thousands of homes and derailed a freight train.
Hundreds of soldiers, firefighters and emergency personnel were deployed to search for survivors and assist recovery efforts as authorities continued rescue operations in affected areas. Several people were believed to be trapped under collapsed structures.
Reports said around 260,000 residents were advised to evacuate to designated shelters amid concerns over strong aftershocks. Authorities urged people to remain alert as rescue teams assessed the damage and worked to restore essential services.
Buildings were reduced to rubble, while several structures were engulfed in flames following the earthquake. Officials said the full scale of destruction was still being assessed, with search and relief operations continuing across affected communities.