On Tuesday afternoon, a powerful 6.8‑meter earthquake struck southwestern Japan, killing 13 people, injuring dozens more, damaging buildings and homes, sparking fires, and triggering search efforts for those potentially trapped in debris.
Here’s what you need to know.
Where did the quake occur?
The tremor struck around 4:30 p.m. local time in Kumamoto Prefecture on Kyushu, Japan’s southernmost main island.
The quake’s intensity caused widespread building collapse. Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi reported that people were trapped inside several structures. Fires also broke out in Kumamoto City, the regional capital, home to over 700,000 residents.
The U.S. Geological Survey located the epicenter near Uto, a coastal town roughly 30 miles south of Kumamoto City.
The agency initially quoted a magnitude of 7.1, later adjusting it to 6.8.
Where was the most severe damage?
Ms. Takaichi noted on Wednesday morning that the damage was extensive and that officials were working to restore electricity and water to affected areas.
Rescue crews worked overnight to locate those potentially trapped when a shopping mall’s second floor collapsed in Kumamoto City. Social media videos displayed scattered debris inside and outside the mall.
Ms. Takaichi stressed that people were still awaiting rescue and that time was of the essence.
Aerial footage revealed a flipped train carriage on the tracks and widespread damage to buildings and bridges. NHK broadcasts also captured elevated sections of the Kyushu Expressway split into two pieces, and a collapsed portion of the wall at Kumamoto Castle, a city landmark.
Were there casualties?
Ms. Takaichi reported that at least 13 people had died. One person later died in a hospital after being found inside a collapsed house in Kumamoto, according to police.
Over 50 individuals were receiving treatment for माता injuries at a Kumamoto City hospital, while at least 80 were treated at a Hikawa hospital, a town south of the city, according to NHK.
The most recent major quake in Japan in 2024, centered on the Noto Peninsula to the north, killed hundreds, with additional casualties from related causes, per NHK.
In April 2016, the Kumamoto region also endured a series of deadly seismic events that killed at least nine and injured hundreds, according to the U.S. Geological Survey.
Status of the area’s nuclear powerasking plant
Minoru Kihara, a senior Japanese cabinet official, confirmed during a news briefing that the Sendai Nuclear Power Plant appeared secure with no abnormalities reported.
The plant, featuring two reactors that supply electricity to the Kyushu region, is located in Kagoshima, south of Kumamoto.
