Death toll from Japan earthquake rises to 13, dozens still missing

At least 13 people have been killed after a powerful 7.1-magnitude earthquake struck Japan's southern Kyushu island, triggering widespread destruction, power outages and a massive search-and-rescue operation as authorities race to find survivors beneath collapsed structures.

The earthquake struck Kumamoto Prefecture on Tuesday night (July 28), damaging roads, buildings and critical infrastructure. Thousands of homes lost electricity, while emergency crews continued searching for people believed to be trapped under debris.

One of the deadliest incidents occurred about an hour after the quake, when a partial collapse at an Aeon shopping mall near Kumamoto city was followed by an explosion, reportedly caused by a suspected gas leak. Two young women were killed, while rescuers pulled eight people alive from the rubble. Public broadcaster NHK reported that 20 to 30 mall employees remain unaccounted for.

Addressing reporters in Tokyo, Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi said rescue efforts were now "a race against time."

"Many people are still waiting to be rescued. We are mobilising every available government and private resource, personnel and equipment to save as many lives as possible," she said.

Chief Cabinet Secretary Minoru Kihara said rescue teams had detected the smell of gas inside the damaged shopping mall, with authorities investigating whether a gas leak triggered the explosion.

He said firefighters, police and around 170 Self-Defense Force personnel had been deployed to the mall, while more than 4,500 troops were taking part in rescue and relief operations across the disaster-hit region.

The earthquake also caused the collapse of a chimney at a Nippon Paper Industries factory, leaving seven workers missing and four seriously injured, according to local officials. Hospitals across the region have been treating dozens of injured residents.

Authorities have issued evacuation advisories for nearly 260,000 people in Kumamoto Prefecture. Police said they had received at least 386 emergency calls requesting rescue from collapsed buildings since the quake struck.

According to the Japan Meteorological Agency, the epicentre was located about 20 kilometres south of Kumamoto City, the largest city in central Kyushu with a population of around 700,000. Officials warned that strong aftershocks and landslides remain possible over the next week.

The region is also enduring a severe heatwave, with temperatures reaching 34°C and more than 36,000 households still without electricity. Authorities have urged residents and evacuees to take precautions against heatstroke as recovery efforts continue.