7.1 magnitude earthquake strikes southern Japan, mall collapse leaves dozens missing

The earthquake and immediate aftermath

On 28 July 2026 at 16:27 Japan Standard Time, a magnitude 7.1 earthquake struck Kumamoto prefecture on the southern island of Kyushu. The Japan Meteorological Agency assigned the maximum value of 7 on its Shindo intensity scale, meaning people could not stand and buildings were at high risk of collapse. A tsunami warning was issued for the Ariake Sea but was later withdrawn. Within hours, more than 60 aftershocks rattled the region, including a strong tremor around 19:00, and authorities warned that further powerful quakes could occur over the following week.

The Aeon Mall collapse

About an hour after the main shock, a gas explosion caused the partial collapse of the Aeon Mall in Kashima, a large shopping centre with over 200 shops, restaurants and a cinema. The mall had reopened only the previous month after extensive renovations designed to withstand earthquakes; it had also been severely damaged in the 2016 Kumamoto quakes. Staff had begun evacuating roughly 200 visitors when the second floor collapsed. Police estimate that 20 to 30 people remain missing under the rubble, while four survivors have been pulled out alive. Rescue operations are hampered by power outages and the risk of further structural failure.

There were huge clouds of smoke. It looked as if the area was covered in volcanic ash because the wind was blowing hard at that moment.

Other damage and casualties

Beyond the mall, a chimney at a Nippon Paper Industries factory in Yatsushiro collapsed, leaving an unknown number of workers trapped. Two people at the site suffered cardiac arrest. Hospitals in the region have treated hundreds of injured, with some facilities unable to perform all procedures due to power loss. At least one death has been confirmed after a house collapsed, and police have indicated there are multiple fatalities at the mall, though no official toll has been released. A high-speed train derailed and fell onto its side, causing injuries. Fires broke out in about 50 locations, and a highway viaduct, a pedestrian bridge, and a shrine near castle ruins were damaged. The historic Kumamoto Castle lost part of a wall.

Government response and rescue efforts

Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi said the government was still assessing the full extent of the damage but confirmed multiple injuries, power outages, fires, and collapsed buildings. She announced the deployment of 3,600 Self-Defense Forces personnel to assist with search and rescue. Around 300,000 residents were advised to move to evacuation centres. Kyushu Electric reported that approximately 45,000 households were without electricity and 10,500 lacked water. Train services, including the Shinkansen, were suspended, and several auto and semiconductor factories halted operations. Nuclear regulators found no abnormalities at the Sendai plant or other nearby facilities.

We are still assessing the extent of the damage, but I have been informed that there are multiple injuries. In some areas there are power outages and fires, damaged roads and bridges, and collapsed buildings.

Seismic context

Japan sits at the intersection of four tectonic plates along the western edge of the Pacific Ring of Fire, accounting for roughly 18% of the world's recorded earthquakes each year. The same region was devastated in 2016 by two major quakes that killed 273 people and destroyed thousands of homes, including significant damage to Kumamoto Castle. The 2011 Tohoku earthquake and tsunami, which claimed around 18,500 lives and triggered the Fukushima nuclear disaster, remains the country's deadliest recent seismic event.

The shaking reminded me of the earthquake ten years ago. I was scared.