Japan earthquake death toll rises to 28 as evacuees battle sweltering heat
Thousands of people are staying in evacuation centres, struggling to keep cool as temperatures soar.
The death toll from the powerful earthquake that struck southwestern Japan has climbed to 28, authorities confirmed on Thursday, as evacuees grapple with extreme heat.
The magnitude 6.8 earthquake, which hit Kumamoto prefecture on Kyushu island on Tuesday, caused extensive damage to homes and power infrastructure. Rescuers are continuing their search for survivors.
Among the fatalities, several occurred after a section of a shopping center collapsed, followed by an explosion at the mall approximately an hour later.
Thousands of residents displaced by the quake are now housed in evacuation centers, where efforts are focused on keeping them cool and hydrated amidst the region's sweltering temperatures. Forecasts indicate that temperatures in the prefecture could reach 39C in the coming days, prompting officials to advise survivors and rescue workers to take precautions against heatstroke.
On Wednesday, Japan's defense minister, Shinjiro Koizumi, announced the delivery of 300 air conditioners to Kumamoto, with 150 designated for evacuation centers. As of Wednesday, approximately 9,000 displaced individuals were in evacuation centers, and over 30,000 households were without power.
More than 100 aftershocks have been recorded since the initial tremor, leading many to sleep in their cars out of concern for further seismic activity.
Recovery operations are ongoing in Kumamoto, with thousands of personnel engaged in search-and-rescue efforts. Many are sifting through debris at Kashima's Aeon shopping center, one of the most severely impacted structures, where a portion of the second floor gave way. The mall also experienced an explosion about an hour after the initial quake. The president of Aeon stated it was "very likely" a gas explosion, though the cause is still under investigation. A cat cafe within the mall reported on Wednesday that all 25 of its cats, left behind during the chaos, had been safely rescued. The Aeon mall in Kumamoto, which had just reopened last month after renovations, had previously sustained damage during a series of strong earthquakes in April 2016 that claimed 278 lives in the region.
Rescuers are also searching a Nippon Paper factory in Yatsushiro city, where at least five people have died following a partial collapse during the quake. Eleven individuals were trapped in the building, and seven have been rescued thus far, Nippon Paper confirmed in a statement on Wednesday.
The shallow 10km (six miles) deep quake shocked residents across Kumamoto. Hiroko Ogata, a 75-year-old restaurant owner in Yatsushiro, recounted to the BBC that she "hid under a table at her restaurant when the quake struck and swayed violently along with it." She added, "I have lived here for 75 years, but I have never experienced such a big quake. I thought I would die."