Japan earthquake hits Kyushu, injuries rise as mall and factory collapse

Tokyo,UPDATED: Jul 29, 2026 02:10 IST

A 7.1-magnitude earthquake struck Japan's southern main island of Kyushu on Tuesday, leaving dozens of people injured or missing and damaging buildings, factories and transport services. A tsunami advisory was issued for parts of Kumamoto prefecture and nearby areas, but the Japan Meteorological Agency lifted it within two hours.

Officials said there were fears that at least two people were dead as rescue teams searched damaged sites in Kumamoto prefecture, about 900 kilometres southwest of Tokyo. More than 260,000 people were advised to evacuate, mostly in Kumamoto and also in neighbouring Nagasaki prefecture.

In Kashima Town, the second floor of the Aeon Mall shopping centre collapsed, trapping an unknown number of people, according to the fire department in Kumamoto city. NHK said the collapse happened after an explosion believed to have been caused by a gas leak in the building. The Kumamoto prefectural emergency response team said four people were pulled out with injuries and taken to hospital, while 10 others were unaccounted for. It said the full extent of the damage was still being investigated as search and rescue operations continued.

At Nippon Paper Industries Co.'s Yatsushiro factory, a huge chimney collapsed and the building was damaged. The Kumamoto emergency team said 11 people were trapped under the debris. Two of them were later found without vital signs, while the conditions of the other nine were not known.

Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi told journalists that there were reports of damage to roads, bridges and buildings, as well as blackouts and fires, though details were unclear. The Fire and Disaster Management Agency said major public facilities or infrastructure were not damaged. Japan's Nuclear Regulation Authority said no abnormalities were found at three nearby nuclear power plants. NHK said Kumamoto police received more than 100 emergency calls after the quake.

Kyodo News said a hospital in Yatsushiro treated about 40 injured people, while about 50 others were taken to a hospital in Kumamoto city. The quake also hit industry in Kyushu. Toyota Motor Corp. said it had suspended operations at three factories in the region partly for safety reasons and would reopen them on Wednesday. It said there were no reports of injuries or damage at the plants, though checks were still under way. Honda Motor Co. and Nippon Paper also suspended operations, and the Nikkei business daily said Yamato Transport Co. had stopped delivery services in and out of Kumamoto.

Transport services were also disrupted. Shinkansen bullet trains and local train services in Kyushu were suspended for safety checks, and the runway at Aso Kumamoto Airport was closed, with "no prospect of resuming operations" soon, according to a notice on the airport's website. The Defence Ministry said it had sent military aircraft to assess the situation. Kyodo said a train derailed and fell on its side at Yatsushiro station, and stone walls were damaged at Kumamoto Castle, which was badly hit in the 2016 earthquake and is still being repaired.

"The shaking reminded me of the Kumamoto quake (10 years ago) and I was frightened," said Hiroki Shimoda, an official at Mifune town hall, who saw roof tiles from nearby homes crash to the ground. The 2016 Kumamoto earthquake killed at least 50 people. As rescue and damage assessment work continued on Tuesday, Japan's weather agency urged residents to remain cautious over the next two to three days.

With PTI Inputs

- Ends