Note: This is a developing story. Casualty and missing-person figures were unconfirmed at time of writing and are likely to change.
A magnitude 6.8 earthquake struck Kumamoto Prefecture’s Kumamoto region at 4:27 p.m. local time on July 28, registering shindo 7 — the highest level on Japan’s seismic intensity scale — in Uki city and the town of Hikawa. The quake’s epicenter was roughly 10 kilometers deep. A magnitude 6-strong earthquake was recorded in Kumamoto’s Minami ward, Yatsushiro, Uto, Kumamoto-Misato and Mashiki, with shaking felt across a wide stretch of Kyushu and as far away as Yamaguchi Prefecture.
The Japan Meteorological Agency (JMA) noted the seismic pattern resembles the devastating April 2016 Kumamoto earthquakes, which killed 273 people in the prefecture.
Tsunami Advisory Issued, Then Lifted
A tsunami advisory was issued for the Ariake and Yatsushiro Sea areas following the quake, warning of possible wave heights between 20 centimeters and 1 meter. The JMA lifted the advisory at 6:10 p.m., roughly 100 minutes after the quake struck. Multiple aftershocks have continued since, including several measuring shindo 5-lower.
Widespread Damage Across the Region
The full extent of the damage is still emerging, and details below should be treated as provisional:
- The JMA reported the earthquake had a magnitude of 7.1, which the US Geological Survey later measured as a 6.8.
- Three people have been confirmed dead.
- The second floor of Aeon Mall Kumamoto in Kashima reportedly collapsed, with multiple people believed trapped inside. A government official has since cited a reported gas leak as a possible cause.
- Kumamato Prefecture Public Relations official Akino Sonoda said eight people have been rescued from the mall.
- Multiple fires and building collapses have been reported in Yashiro city.
- A bridge in the affected area has partially collapsed.
- There are reports of people trapped under fallen debris.
- Roughly 80 people are being treated at a regional medical center in Hikawa.
- Kumamoto Castle may have sustained partial damage to its stone walls, alongside other building damage across the region.
Government Response
Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi held a press conference following the quake, stating that “lifesaving and rescue operations are the top priority.” Japan’s Defense Minister confirmed the Self-Defense Forces have accepted a disaster dispatch request from Kumamoto Prefecture, focusing on rescue operations, information gathering and support for daily living. The event is being referred to in Japanese coverage as the Reiwa 8 Kumamoto Earthquake.
Japan’s Ministry of Internal Affairs and Communications has separately issued a public warning about false and misleading information circulating online in connection with the earthquake, urging the public to rely on official sources for updates.
This is an ongoing situation. Tokyo Weekender will update this article as more information becomes available.
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