Death toll rises to 18 as rescuers search rubble for quake survivors in …

Rescuers in southwestern Japan continued searching through rubble on Wednesday as the death toll from a powerful 7.1-magnitude earthquake rose to 18, with officials warning the number could still climb. The quake, which struck the Kumamoto area on Tuesday, left at least 62 people injured, six of them critically, and triggered widespread destruction across Kyushu, Japan’s southern main island.

The devastation was most severe at the Aeon Mall in Kashima, where a gas explosion following the earthquake collapsed the second floor, trapping dozens of people. Four deaths were confirmed at the site, with three individuals still unaccounted for, according to Aeon President Akio Yoshida. “We take it seriously that an explosion happened and precious lives were lost,” Yoshida said, bowing deeply during a news conference. Witnesses described the explosion as shaking the area as violently as the quake itself, with debris from the mall’s ceiling and metal structures scattered across the site.

Elsewhere, a chimney collapse at a Nippon Paper Industries factory in Yatsushino killed five people, while seven others were rescued from the debris. Four individuals remained trapped in the area, according to the Kumamoto prefectural government. The disaster also claimed the life of a Vietnamese technical intern, who was killed when a crane fell on him at a factory. Seven other Vietnamese workers evacuated safely, while a Vietnamese woman married to a factory employee was injured when a wall collapsed.

Sweltering temperatures compounded the urgency of rescue efforts, with over 34,900 homes still without electricity and 15,000 without running water. More than 8,800 people sought shelter in 400 evacuation centers, where temporary power sources were installed to provide air conditioning. Aerial footage revealed entire neighborhoods flattened, with some homes crumbling into rivers. Hospitals in the region faced overwhelming demands, with one facility in Uki city forced to halt operations due to a power outage and another suspending admissions after treating 86 injured patients, including three with severe injuries.

Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi urged relentless efforts to locate survivors, calling the operation a “race against time.” She announced plans to deliver food and supplies to affected areas and extended condolences to victims’ families. “We will go all out to find and rescue as many people as we can,” she said. Japan’s Self-Defense Forces joined local emergency workers, alongside firefighters from Taiwan, in the search. Over 4,500 troops were deployed across the quake zone, while authorities warned of continued aftershocks and risks of landslides for the coming week.

The quake’s epicenter was 20 kilometers south of Kumamoto City, a region already scarred by a 2016 earthquake that killed 50 people. Historic sites, including parts of Kumamoto Castle, suffered fresh damage, with stone walls still under repair from the earlier disaster collapsing again. Roads, bridges, and rail lines were severely disrupted, with bullet train services suspended and some airlines canceling flights as a precaution.

Companies with facilities in the area, including semiconductor manufacturer Tokyo Electron and automaker Honda, halted operations. TSMC, the world’s largest chipmaker, evacuated workers from its plant but resumed activities late Tuesday. Meanwhile, residents grappled with the psychological toll of the disaster, as one local described the chaos of the quake: “I thought I was going to die” when shelves toppled during the shaking.

Japan, situated on the “Ring of Fire,” experiences about 20% of the world’s magnitude 6.0+ earthquakes. The 2026 quake has reignited concerns about the region’s vulnerability, even as rescue teams pressed on amid the heat and uncertainty. With hundreds of aftershocks rattling the area, the focus remained on saving lives—while the full scale of the tragedy continued to unfold.