KUMAMOTO, Japan—The death toll from a powerful earthquake in southwestern Japan has risen to 13, authorities said on Wednesday, as rescue teams searched through the rubble of a damaged shopping mall and other collapsed structures for people still believed to be trapped.
Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi said the rescue effort was in a “race against time” and that all available resources were being deployed to locate survivors after the magnitude 7.1 earthquake struck the Kumamoto area on Kyushu island on Tuesday. The government said many people remained missing, although the exact number had not been confirmed.
Japan's Self Defense Forces joined firefighters and emergency workers at a heavily damaged Aeon shopping mall, where part of the building collapsed following an explosion that authorities said may have been caused by a gas leak. Officials said the cause of the explosion remained under investigation.
The earthquake also caused extensive damage across the region, including collapsed buildings, cracked roads and disrupted utilities. Authorities said tens of thousands of homes remained without electricity, while thousands more lacked gas service. More than 9,000 residents had taken shelter in evacuation centers as temperatures remained high.
Transport services were disrupted, with Kyushu Shinkansen bullet train operations suspended and some airport services affected. Several manufacturers, including major automakers and electronics companies, temporarily halted operations to assess damage.
Authorities warned that strong aftershocks remained possible and urged residents to stay alert for landslides and further structural damage. Search and rescue operations were continuing, and officials said casualty figures and damage assessments could change as the situation developed.
