At least one dead, 100 injured as Japan earthquake traps shoppers in mall

At least one dead and more than 100 people have been reportedly injured across Japan after a magnitude 7.1 powerful earthquake struck southern Kumamoto prefecture on the island of Kyushu, triggering intense shaking, fires, and structural damage.

As reported by NHK, multiple individuals hospitalized for fractures, burns, and severe trauma while one fatality was confirmed following a house collapse.

According to the Japan Meteorological Agency JMA about 300,000 people have been instructed to go to evacuation centres, the disaster management agency said.

The areas with the biggest tremors will remain at risk of further strong quakes and landslides for about a week since the shallow earthquake is triggering active seismic activity in the area.

So far there have been more than 60 aftershocks ranging in magnitude from 1 to 4, the agency said. A tsunami warning was issued immediately after the quake, but was lifted within two hours.

An explosion occurred in an Aeon shopping mall shortly after the earthquake, trapping “many people”, fire services said.

As reported that police said “quite a few” were presumed dead. About 20 to 30 workers at the mall were unaccounted for, NHK said.

An Aeon spokesperson said customers and employees were evacuated after the initial quake and the cause of the explosion remained unclear.

A government official subsequently told reporters that Aeon Kumamoto reported a gas leak, though it had not yet been determined as the cause.

Footage showed one side of the mall, the prefecture’s largest with roughly 200 stores, was torn away, exposing steel beams and strewing debris across the neighboring car park.

Several ambulances and fire engines were parked outside as rescue teams searched for survivors.

Japan’s prime minister, Sanae Takaichi, told reporters authorities were still assessing the extent of the damage in the area, which was devastated by another deadly quake a decade ago.

“We have already been informed that people have been injured. Power outages and fires have occurred in some areas, and there has also been damage to roads and bridges and the collapse of buildings,” Takaichi said. 

“I ask everyone to take action to protect themselves, including evacuating to a safe location," she added.