Kumamoto prefecture authorities raised the death toll to 34 on Thursday following the magnitude 7.1 earthquake that struck southwestern Japan last Tuesday, as rescue operations for possible survivors continue amid power cuts, water shortages, and forecasts of high temperatures.
The prefecture’s disaster response centre confirmed that seven of the fatalities occurred at the Aeon Mall shopping centre in Kashima, which experienced an explosion after the quake, while another eight deaths were attributed to the collapse of a chimney at the Nippon Paper Industries factory in Yatsushiro.
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Central government spokesman Minoru Kihara, however, maintained the death toll at 30 during a virtually simultaneous press conference, relying on Police-provided information.
More than 48 hours after the tremor, search and rescue efforts continue, with the Ministry of Defence reporting that canine search operations commenced overnight. Around 10,000 people remain evacuated across some 400 shelters, where local authorities and the Self-Defence Forces are installing air conditioning units.
More than 50 people were injured in one of the prefectures on Kyushu Island in Japan after powerful 7,1 earthquakes
Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi reported that the tremors caused fires, damage to roads and bridges, as well as the collapse of buildings.
NHK reported… pic.twitter.com/hTFjhdZPl1
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The earthquake struck at 16:27 local time Tuesday, with its epicentre located at approximately 10 kilometres depth beneath Kumamoto prefecture, according to the Japan Meteorological Agency, which issued a brief tsunami alert that resulted in no major incidents. The tremor, which reached the maximum level on Japan’s 7-level intensity scale, caused significant structural damage, including the partial collapse of a wall at the iconic Kumamoto Castle.
Hundreds of aftershocks have followed, including a magnitude 5.8 tremor on Wednesday night, and authorities have warned that a larger earthquake could occur in the coming days.
From teleSUR English via This RSS Feed.