According to the Associated Press, a magnitude 7.1 earthquake struck Japan’s southern island of Kyushu on Tuesday, July 28, causing widespread damage, disrupting transportation and manufacturing, and leaving multiple people dead or missing as rescue crews raced to reach those trapped beneath collapsed structures. Authorities briefly issued tsunami warnings for parts of western Kyushu before lifting them about two hours later.
More than 260,000 residents were advised to evacuate across Kumamoto Prefecture and neighbouring areas, while emergency officials continued assessing the full extent of the disaster. Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi said authorities had received reports of damaged roads, bridges and buildings, along with power outages and fires, though the overall impact was still being verified. Japan’s Nuclear Regulation Authority said no abnormalities had been detected at nearby nuclear power plants.
Search and rescue operations continue
The deadliest confirmed industrial accident occurred at Nippon Paper Industries’ Yatsushiro Factory, where a large smokestack collapsed during the earthquake, trapping 11 workers beneath the rubble. Two were found with no signs of life, while rescuers continued searching for the remaining workers.
Kyodo News reported that hospitals across the region were treating large numbers of casualties, with about 40 injured people admitted to a hospital in Yatsushiro and another 50 transported to medical facilities in Kumamoto City.Officials said no major damage had been identified at key public infrastructure, although NHK reported police received more than 100 emergency calls following the quake.
Transportation and industry disrupted
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The earthquake forced the suspension of all Shinkansen and local rail services across Kyushu while engineers inspected tracks and bridges. The runway at Aso Kumamoto Airport was also closed, with officials saying there was no timetable for reopening. Japan’s Defence Ministry dispatched military aircraft to survey the affected areas and assist emergency responders, the Associated Press reported.
Kyodo also reported that a train derailed at Yatsushiro Station and that stone walls at the historic Kumamoto Castle sustained fresh damage. The landmark has remained under restoration since suffering extensive damage during the devastating 2016 Kumamoto earthquakes.
Major manufacturers temporarily halted operations across the region. Toyota suspended production at three Kyushu plants as a precaution, while Honda, Nippon Paper Industries and Yamato Transport also paused manufacturing or delivery operations because of safety concerns, according to Reuters.
Mall collapse under investigation
Rescue crews also continued searching the partially collapsed Aeon Mall in Kashima Town, where emergency officials said several people were trapped. NHK reported that investigators believe a natural gas leak triggered an explosion after the initial earthquake, causing part of the building to collapse. A shop owner told The Asahi Shimbun he heard a blast “like a bomb” about an hour after fleeing the mall, while a mall employee told TBS that staff smelled gas after evacuating customers shortly before the explosion. A man interviewed by The Yomiuri Shimbun said a friend working at the mall remained missing.
Hiroki Shimoda, an official in the town of Mifune, said the shaking immediately reminded him of the 2016 Kumamoto earthquake.
“This shaking reminded me of the Kumamoto earthquake 10 years ago. I was very frightened at the time,” he said.
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