- The death toll from the major earthquake that hit Japan on Tuesday rose to at least 23 as the inside a badly damaged shopping mall and collapsed houses in the country’s south-west continued.
- The magnitude 6.8 earthquake that struck the Kumamoto prefecture on the island of Kyushu has injured at least 62, the prefectural government said.
- Almost 5,000 Self-Defence Forces personnel deployed to the region will be challenged by temperatures rising to 35C on Thursday, officials said, and a significant magnitude 5.8 aftershock hit overnight to further complicate recovery efforts.
- Eight people have been pulled from the rubble of the mall. Of them, three have died.
- 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.
- 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.
- A government spokesperson said on Wednesday more than 9,000 people had sought refuge in 506 shelters in three regions of Kyushu island.
- 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.
The death toll from the magnitude 6.8 earthquake in Kumamoto, Japan, has risen to at least 23, with over 62 injured, according to the prefectural government.26
Rescue efforts are complicated by rising temperatures, expected to reach 35C, and aftershocks, including a significant magnitude 5.8 tremor that struck overnight.
Almost 5,000 Self-Defence Forces personnel have been deployed to assist in recovery efforts, which are hampered by extensive damage, including collapsed buildings and fires.3
Eight individuals have been rescued from the rubble of a damaged shopping mall, but three of them have died.411
In a tragic incident, a Vietnamese technical intern was killed when a crane fell on him at a factory, marking the first reported death of a foreign national.5
As of now, nearly 34,900 homes are without electricity and 15,000 lack running water, according to Kumamoto officials.
More than 9,000 people have sought refuge in 506 shelters across three regions of Kyushu island, where power sources are being added to provide air conditioning.8
Japan’s Geospatial Information Authority reported ground displacements of up to 87 centimeters due to the quake, highlighting the severity of the disaster.
Takaichi noted the extensive damage to infrastructure, including roads, complicating recovery efforts further.10
Toyota has announced a halt in operations at three plants in the region as it assesses the quake's impact on suppliers and logistics.
“The magnitude 6.8 earthquake has injured at least 62 people, with nearly 34,900 homes still without electricity and 15,000 without running water. Over 9,000 people have sought refuge in 506 shelters, as officials report extensive damage including collapsed buildings and fires.”
The Guardian
