A powerful earthquake struck the Kumamoto area of Japan's southern island of Kyushu on Tuesday, killing at least 13 people. Emergency crews are searching collapsed buildings for survivors in what officials describe as a 'race against time'.
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Key facts
- At least 13 people have been killed, with many reported missing.
- The earthquake struck the Kumamoto area on the island of Kyushu on Tuesday.
- Japan's meteorological agency measured the quake at magnitude 7.1; the US Geological Survey put it at 6.8.
- A bridge section collapsed in the city of Yatsushiro, where a factory chimney also fell.
- The names of those rescued and those trapped have not yet been released.
At least 13 people have been killed after a powerful earthquake struck the island of Kyushu in southern Japan on Tuesday, according to the BBC. Emergency workers are continuing to search for survivors, with many people reported missing.
The quake hit the Kumamoto area of Kyushu, Japan’s southern main island. Japan’s meteorological agency recorded it at a magnitude of 7.1, according to the Guardian, while the US Geological Survey measured it at magnitude 6.8.
The disaster left widespread devastation, with buildings collapsed, roads severely damaged and emergency teams digging through rubble, the Guardian reported. Rescuers describe the effort to reach trapped people as a ‘race against time’.
An aerial view showed a collapsed section of a bridge in the city of Yatsushiro. In the same city, a chimney at the Nippon Paper Industries factory collapsed onto the site.
Japan’s Mainichi Shimbun newspaper spoke to workers at the Yatsushiro factory. ‘I never imagined something like this would happen,’ said a 33-year-old man who worked there. ‘I never thought that the chimney could collapse. I’m worried about the people inside.’ He was off duty and at home when the earthquake struck, and was unharmed.
‘Someone I know might be affected,’ the worker added. The names of those rescued and those trapped have not yet been released as search efforts continue.
Why it matters
Japan sits in one of the world's most seismically active regions, and powerful earthquakes can cause rapid, large-scale loss of life. The speed of rescue operations in the hours after a quake is often decisive for people trapped beneath collapsed buildings.
Frequently asked questions
How strong was the Japan earthquake?
Japan's meteorological agency measured the quake at magnitude 7.1, while the US Geological Survey put it at magnitude 6.8.
Where did the earthquake strike?
It struck the Kumamoto area on Kyushu, Japan's southern main island. A bridge section and a factory chimney collapsed in the city of Yatsushiro.
How many people have died?
At least 13 people have been killed, with many reported missing, according to the BBC and the Guardian.
Timeline
- Rescue teams face ‘race against time’ in search for trapped survivors as death toll in Japan rises to at least 13 – as it happened
The Guardian World: Emergency workers are continuing their search for survivors in southern Japan after yesterday’s powerful earthquake ‘Race against time’: Japan earthquake death toll rises as rescue teams search for missing An aerial view of a collapsed section of a bridge in the city of Yatsushir
- Rescue teams face ‘race against time’ in search for trapped survivors as death toll in Japan rises to at least 13 – live updates
The Guardian World: Emergency workers are continuing their search for survivors in southern Japan after yesterday’s powerful earthquake ‘Race against time’: Japan earthquake death toll rises as rescue teams search for missing Emergency workers are continuing their search for survivors in southern Ja
- Japan in a ‘race against time’ to rescue people trapped beneath rubble after quake
BBC World: At least 13 people have been killed after the earthquake struck the island of Kyushu on Tuesday.