Japan Kumamoto earthquake: What happened, damage, victims, latest updates

A almighty earthquake struck Japan’s Kumamoto prefecture connected the southwestern land of Kyushu connected Tuesday, causing wide damage, collapsing buildings and starting fires.

The quake was followed by aftershocks arsenic exigency crews continued rescue operations and assessed the standard of the destruction.

Recommended Stories

• list 1 of 1People feared dormant successful Japan aft magnitude 7.1 quake causes blast astatine mall

Here is what we cognize truthful far:

What happened successful Japan?

The magnitude 6.8 earthquake struck the Kumamoto prefecture connected Kyushu land astatine 4:30pm (07:30 GMT) connected Tuesday.

It was initially reported arsenic magnitude 7.1, but the US Geological Survey (USGS) aboriginal revised its estimation to 6.8.

A tsunami advisory was issued instantly aft the earthquake but was aboriginal lifted.

The earthquake caused wide harm arsenic buildings collapsed.

It sparked fires successful Kumamoto City, the prefectural capital, trapped shoppers wrong a partially collapsed buying mall, chopped powerfulness to thousands of homes, and near roads severely damaged.

Just aft midnight connected Wednesday (15:15 GMT Tuesday), a magnitude 4.1 aftershock struck Kumamoto prefecture, nationalist broadcaster NHK reported.

Where did the earthquake hit?

According to the USGS, the epicentre was adjacent the coastal metropolis of Uto, astir 48km (30 miles) southwest of Kumamoto City.

Kumamoto is located connected Japan’s southwestern land of Kyushu, 1 of the country’s 4 main islands, astir 90km (55 miles) eastbound of Nagasaki.

As of 2019, Kumamoto City has an estimated colonisation of 700,000.

The Kyushu portion is besides location to the Sendai Nuclear Power Plant successful neighbouring Kagoshima prefecture, southbound of Kumamoto.

Officials said nary abnormalities were detected astatine the two-reactor installation pursuing the earthquake.

How almighty was the earthquake?

The earthquake was reportedly beardown capable to beryllium felt successful Japan’s overseas neighbour, South Korea.

It caused extended infrastructure damage. NHK footage showed parts of the Kyushu Expressway divided apart, and a conception of the partition surrounding Kumamoto Castle collapsed.

Authorities are inactive assessing the harm to buildings, bridges and different infrastructure.

An aerial presumption shows the damaged Kyushu Expressway [Reuters]

What harm did the earthquake cause?

At the Aeon buying promenade successful Kumamoto City, portion of the 2nd level collapsed earlier a almighty detonation tore done the complex.

Employees helped evacuate astir 200 shoppers erstwhile the quake struck, but the detonation came astir an hr later, blowing retired walls and exposing overmuch of the alloy framework.

NHK reported that 20 to 30 employees were initially unaccounted for. Witnesses besides reported smelling state successful the area, though the origin of the detonation remains unclear.

The promenade had reopened lone past period aft being rebuilt pursuing the devastating Kumamoto earthquake successful 2016.

The June 13 reopening was meant to beryllium a caller commencement for 1 of the region’s main buying and amusement centres.

After the 2016 disaster, a supermarket successful the promenade offered discounted atom balls to survivors, becoming a awesome of the betterment effort.

The damaged Aeon Mall [Kyodo/via Reuters]

What bash we cognize astir the victims?

Two young women were recovered dormant aboriginal connected Wednesday successful the mall, section media reported.

Twenty to 30 buying promenade workers were unaccounted for.

One infirmary reported receiving much than 50 wounded people, portion different reported astir 40 wounded, including 10 successful a superior condition, NHK said.

About 300,000 radical person been instructed to spell to evacuation centres, according to Reuters.

Are aftershocks expected?

The Japan Meteorological Agency reported much than 60 aftershocks, describing the latest tremor arsenic moderate.

The aftershocks person analyzable rescue efforts.

Residents person been warned to expect day-two tremors arsenic they aftermath up connected Wednesday morning.

Why is Japan prone to earthquakes?

Japan sits connected the Pacific Ring of Fire, wherever respective large tectonic plates meet.

The state experiences thousands of earthquakes each year, arsenic the Pacific, Philippine Sea, Eurasian and North American plates perpetually displacement against 1 another.

Strict gathering codes and regular earthquake drills person helped trim casualties, but almighty earthquakes tin inactive origin wide destruction.

Minor tremors besides occur, connected average, each 5 minutes, according to Reuters.