A 6.8‑magnitude earthquake that rattled Kyushu on Saturday has sent sixty‑nine aftershocks.
South‑west Japan now faces a frosted wave of tremors, with more than a hundred jolts reported in the first 24 hours.
Officials say at least 13 people were killed and many others are in cardiopulmonary arrest before they are officially recorded; many survivors remain trapped under collapsed buildings.
Risky heatwave, 35°C, has made the rubble‑clearing dangerous for rescuers, who are already exhausted from the quake’s first wave. 4,600 personnel are on the ground, while the Defence Ministry has arranged to fly in 300 air‑conditioning units to hot areas.
In Kumamoto Prefecture the Aeon Mall collapsed the second floor, and a paper factory collapsed near Yatsushiro City where two workers were found dead. Three more employees of the mall were unaccounted for. The Japan Meteorological Agency warns of more strong earthquakes possibly reaching intensity 7 for the next week.
Rescue teams have started clearing rubble at the collapsed worship hall of Yatsushiro Shrine, and the Japanese Prime Minister, Sanae Takaichi, said the situation is “a race against time” to rescue those trapped.
Even as the quake’s aftershocks continue, power has been cut for thousands of homes and train services halted. Residents have watched unfolding rubble, soot, and smoke on local television channels.
In the galleries below you can see the collapsed Aeon Mall, the rooftop of the shrine, and the wreckage of a factory treacherous to navigate after the quake.
