Strong earthquake strikes southern Japan, triggering shopping mall explosion and casualties

A 7.1-magnitude earthquake struck Japan’s Kumamoto prefecture on Tuesday, causing widespread damage, blackouts, a shopping mall explosion, and reported casualties.

Earthquake Strikes Kumamoto Prefecture

As reported by Reuters, a powerful tremor struck on Tuesday, July 28, in the Kumamoto prefecture of southern Japan. The 7.1-magnitude earthquake caused power outages, damaged roads, and led to the collapse of several buildings.

Aftershock Warnings and Tsunami Alert Lifted

The epicenter of the earthquake was located about 20 kilometers south of Kumamoto. A representative of the Japan Meteorological Agency warned residents of the most affected areas about the possibility of further strong tremors within the coming week and the risk of landslides.

Immediately following Tuesday’s earthquake, a tsunami warning was issued and later lifted. Japanese nuclear regulation authorities reported that no irregularities were detected at nuclear power plants in the region.

Explosion at a Japanese Shopping Mall

According to emergency services, an explosion occurred after the earthquake at an Aeon shopping mall, where many people were trapped. Police, quoted by TBS, stated that some of the injured are considered dead. An Aeon spokesperson reported that customers and employees were evacuated immediately after the initial tremor, and the exact cause of the explosion is currently unknown.

The article is being updated.