A powerful 7.1-magnitude earthquake struck southern Japan, leaving 13 people dead, according to Prime Minister Sanaye Takaichi. She confirmed the updated death toll on Wednesday as rescue operations continued.
The earthquake hit Kumamoto on Japan’s southern main island of Kyushu on Tuesday afternoon, according to the Associated Press.
Prime Minister Takaichi said emergency crews worked throughout the night searching for survivors, with rescue efforts still ongoing. She added that many people were injured and several others remain missing.
According to AP, part of a shopping mall collapsed following the quake, with initial reports suggesting a gas leak may have contributed to the incident. A large chimney at a paper manufacturing plant also collapsed.
Japan’s Fire and Disaster Management Agency said the second floor of an Aeon Mall in Kashima City gave way, trapping several people inside. At the Nippon Paper Industries plant in Yatsushiro, a collapsed chimney left several workers trapped beneath the rubble, local emergency officials said.
Authorities have advised more than 260,000 residents to evacuate or move to safer locations. Most evacuation notices were issued in Kumamoto Prefecture, while neighboring Nagasaki Prefecture also ordered precautionary evacuations.
The affected region is located about 900 kilometers (560 miles) southwest of Tokyo, Japan’s capital. Rescue teams continue to search for survivors as authorities assess the full extent of the damage.
