A magnitude 7.1 earthquake struck Japan’s Kumamoto Prefecture on Tuesday, causing widespread power outages, damaging roads and buildings, and leaving multiple people trapped after the partial collapse of a shopping mall, authorities said.
Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi told reporters in Tokyo that officials were still assessing the full extent of the damage in the region, which was also hit by a devastating earthquake a decade ago.
“We have already been informed that people have been injured. Power outages and fires have occurred in some areas, and there has also been damage to roads and bridges and the collapse of buildings,” Takaichi said, urging residents to evacuate to safe locations.
Japan’s disaster management agency said around 300,000 people had been advised to evacuate to emergency shelters.
Takaichi said 3,600 members of the Self-Defence Forces would be deployed to assist with rescue and recovery operations as aftershocks continued.
Public broadcaster NHK reported that one hospital had treated more than 50 injured people, while local media said several passengers on a high-speed train were also hurt.
Emergency services said multiple people were trapped inside an Aeon shopping mall, where an explosion occurred following the earthquake. Police said “quite a few” people were feared dead in the incident, according to broadcaster TBS.
Rescue operations were continuing as authorities worked to determine the full scale of casualties and damage.