Japan Kumamoto earthquake: What happened, damage, victims, latest updates

A powerful earthquake measuring magnitude 6.8 struck Kumamoto prefecture in southwestern Japan's Kyushu island on Tuesday afternoon, according to the US Geological Survey, which initially reported the magnitude as 7.1 before revising downward. The epicentre was located near the coastal city of Uto, approximately 48 kilometres southwest of Kumamoto City, which has a population of around 700,000 as of 2019.

The seismic event caused extensive damage across the region. Buildings collapsed in multiple locations, fires broke out in Kumamoto City, and critical infrastructure sustained significant harm, including sections of the Kyushu Expressway and a portion of the wall surrounding Kumamoto Castle. Power was cut to thousands of homes, and road networks were severely damaged. A tsunami advisory was issued immediately following the earthquake but was subsequently lifted.

At the Aeon shopping mall in Kumamoto City, the second floor partially collapsed when the earthquake struck. Approximately one hour later, a powerful explosion tore through the complex, blowing out walls and exposing steel framework. Employees had evacuated roughly 200 shoppers during the initial quake, but 20 to 30 workers were initially unaccounted for following the explosion. Witnesses reported detecting gas odours in the area, though the cause of the explosion remained unclear at the time of reporting. The mall had reopened only the previous month after reconstruction from the 2016 Kumamoto earthquake.

A magnitude 4.1 aftershock struck the prefecture just after midnight on Wednesday. Officials confirmed that no abnormalities were detected at the Sendai Nuclear Power Plant in neighbouring Kagoshima prefecture. At least one death was reported after a person was found in a collapsed house and died in hospital. Emergency crews continued rescue operations and damage assessments as the earthquake was felt as far away as South Korea.