Magnitude 7.1 Earthquake Strikes Southern Japan, Leaving Injured and Missing

 A powerful magnitude 7.1 earthquake struck Kumamoto Prefecture on Japan’s southwestern island of Kyushu on Tuesday, causing extensive damage, injuring dozens of people and leaving others missing beneath collapsed structures.

The Japan Meteorological Agency said the earthquake occurred at 4:27 p.m. local time at a depth of approximately 10 kilometres. The tremor registered the highest level of seven on Japan’s seismic intensity scale in parts of Kumamoto Prefecture.

One of the most serious incidents occurred at an AEON shopping centre in Kashima, where part of the second floor collapsed. Emergency officials said four people were rescued with injuries, while at least 10 others remained unaccounted for as search-and-rescue operations continued.

At a Nippon Paper Industries factory in Yatsushiro, a large chimney collapsed, trapping 11 people beneath the debris. Two were later found without vital signs, while the conditions of the remaining workers were not immediately confirmed.

Hospitals in Kumamoto and Yatsushiro received dozens of injured people, while authorities reported damage to buildings, roads and bridges. Fires and power outages were also recorded, with tens of thousands of homes temporarily losing electricity.

The earthquake disrupted transportation across the region. High-speed Shinkansen and local train services were suspended, flights were affected, and the runway at Aso Kumamoto Airport was temporarily closed while safety inspections were conducted.

Authorities issued a tsunami advisory for the Ariake and Yatsushiro seas and nearby coastal areas shortly after the earthquake. The advisory was lifted within two hours, and the Japan Meteorological Agency later confirmed that no tsunami warnings or advisories remained in effect.

More than 260,000 people were advised to evacuate, mainly in Kumamoto Prefecture and parts of neighbouring Nagasaki Prefecture. Officials urged residents to remain alert for powerful aftershocks, landslides and the possible collapse of buildings already weakened by the initial earthquake.

Japan’s Nuclear Regulation Authority said no abnormalities had been detected at three nuclear power facilities located near the affected region. Rescue teams continued searching damaged buildings and industrial sites as authorities worked to determine the full scale of the casualties and destruction.