Magnitude 7.1 quake rocks Japan's Kumamoto; mall explosion traps dozens, one dead, over 90 injured

The quake and immediate damage

A magnitude 7.1 earthquake hit Kumamoto Prefecture on Kyushu island at 16:27 local time on 28 July, according to the Japan Meteorological Agency. The US Geological Survey later revised the magnitude downward to 6.8. The epicentre lay near the coastal city of Utou, roughly 50 kilometres from Kumamoto city, and the shallow depth of 10 kilometres amplified the shaking. The tremor registered shindo 7, the highest level on Japan's seismic intensity scale. Strong aftershocks continued throughout the evening.

We have already been informed that there are injured. In some areas there were power outages and fires, while roads and bridges suffered damage and buildings collapsed.

Explosion at the mall

Roughly one hour after the quake, a massive explosion ripped through the Aeon Mall in Kashima city. Footage captured a dense white smoke cloud engulfing the complex, tearing off an entire facade and hurling steel beams into the parking lot. The blast collapsed part of the second floor, leaving 20 to 30 employees unaccounted for, according to NHK. Police sources told local media that "several" people were believed dead. Four injured people were pulled out and hospitalised, while ten others remained missing early on.

It was huge. A big smoke cloud rose and, because the wind was blowing this way, it was like volcanic ash falling on us.

The mall operator, Aeon, said customers and staff were evacuated immediately after the initial tremor, and the exact cause of the explosion remains under investigation. Officials are examining a possible gas leak.

Factory collapse and other casualties

At a Nippon Paper Industries plant in Yatsushiro, the quake toppled a chimney and damaged the main building, trapping eleven workers under debris. Emergency teams later located two of them without vital signs; the condition of the other nine was unknown. In Kumamoto city, a resident died after his house collapsed, police confirmed. By nightfall, at least 90 injured people had been taken to two nearby hospitals, many with burns and fractures. A further 50 were treated at a hospital in the town of Hikawa.

Evacuations and infrastructure

More than 260,000 residents across Kumamoto and neighbouring Nagasaki Prefecture were ordered to evacuate. About 48,000 households lost electricity, Kyushu Electric Power reported. All rail services on Kyushu were suspended, the international airport in Kumamoto was shut, and sections of the Kyushu Expressway were split. Parts of the historic Kumamoto Castle's outer wall collapsed. A tsunami warning for the Ariake and Yatsushiro seas was lifted within two hours. The Sendai nuclear power plant showed no damage or safety issues, the IAEA confirmed.

Government and corporate response

Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi told reporters the authorities were still assessing the scale of destruction and urged people to move to safe locations. Hundreds of soldiers were deployed to assist rescue teams. Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Co. (TSMC) evacuated its local plant and activated emergency protocols to inspect facilities. The Aeon Mall, which houses around 200 stores, remained cordoned off as search-and-rescue operations continued into the night.

I felt an initial jolt and then a very strong shaking. My laptop was sliding back and forth on the desk. It just wouldn't stop shaking.