- The death toll from the major earthquake that hit Japan on Tuesday has risen to 17, as the inside a badly damaged shopping mall and collapsed houses in the country’s south-west continues.
- The magnitude 6.8 earthquake that struck the Kumamoto prefecture on the island of Kyushu has injured at least 62, the prefectural government said.
- A significant aftershock with an estimated magnitude of 5.8 hit overnight, complicating recovery efforts.
- Nearly 34,900 homes were still without electricity and 15,000 homes without running water, Kumamoto officials said.
- More than 8,800 people left their homes to stay in over 400 shelters, where power sources were being added to provide air conditioning.
- In the first reported death of a foreign national, a Vietnamese technical intern was killed after a crane fell on him at a factory where he worked, according to the Vietnamese government.
- Almost 5,000 Self-Defence Forces personnel deployed to the region will be challenged by temperatures rising to 35C on Thursday, officials said.
- About 170 rescue workers are searching the Aeon mall shopping centre in the town of Kashima, which was bustling with thousands of people when the quake happened.
- Japan’s Geospatial Information Authority said some ground surfaces were displaced by as much as 87 centimetres in the quake.
- Takaichi said the region had suffered extensive damage, including collapsed buildings, fires and damage to roads.
- Toyota said it would halt operations at three plants in the region through Friday as it weighed the quake’s impact on suppliers and logistics.
- Kyushu is a key base for Japan’s automotive and semiconductor industries, which account for roughly two-fifths of regional industrial output.
The death toll from the Kumamoto earthquake has risen to 17, with at least 62 injured, according to the prefectural government.
A significant aftershock of magnitude 5.8 struck overnight, further complicating rescue efforts.
Nearly 34,900 homes remain without power, and 15,000 lack running water.47
Almost 5,000 Self-Defence Forces personnel are deployed to assist in recovery, facing temperatures rising to 35C on Thursday.
More than 8,800 people have sought refuge in over 400 shelters, with power sources being added for air conditioning.5
Rescue workers are searching the Aeon mall in Kashima, where eight people have been pulled from the rubble, three of whom have died.
The first reported death of a foreign national occurred when a Vietnamese intern was killed by a falling crane at a factory.6
Japan’s Geospatial Information Authority reported ground displacements of up to 87 centimetres due to the quake.9
The region has suffered extensive damage, including collapsed buildings and fires, prompting Toyota to halt operations at three plants in the area.11
Kyushu is vital for Japan’s automotive and semiconductor industries, accounting for roughly two-fifths of regional industrial output.12
“The magnitude 6.8 earthquake has injured at least 62 people, with almost 5,000 Self-Defence Forces personnel deployed to assist in recovery efforts amid rising temperatures. Additionally, more than 9,000 people have sought refuge in 506 shelters across three regions of Kyushu island.”
The Guardian
