Japan’s Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi stated on Wednesday morning that the sudden strong earthquake in Kumamoto Prefecture on Kyushu Island has resulted in 13 confirmed deaths, including two young women in their twenties who were caught in the explosion at the large commercial facility “Aeon Mall Kumamoto” in Kajima Town. Additionally, there are a significant number of injuries. Japanese police, firefighters, and self-defense forces are continuing with rescue efforts.
Reports suggest that there are collapsed buildings and people trapped in the disaster area. The Kumamoto Prefectural Government and other authorities are quickly gathering information on the extent of the damage.
On Wednesday at 4:27 p.m. local time on July 28th, Kumamoto Prefecture experienced a strong earthquake with a magnitude of 7.1, reaching the maximum intensity of 7 on the Japanese scale. This is the first time Japan has observed an intensity 7 earthquake since the Noto Peninsula earthquake in 2024. The Japan Meteorological Agency has officially named this earthquake the “2026 Kumamoto Earthquake.”
Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi has urgently dispatched around 3,600 self-defense force members to the disaster area to conduct overnight rescue operations. The Japan Meteorological Agency has issued a warning that there is still a high possibility of another strong earthquake or aftershocks of similar magnitude in the next week, especially in the next 2 to 3 days, urging everyone to remain vigilant.