Kyushu earthquake collapses mall floor, leaves workers missing and factory chimney down
A magnitude-6.8 quake struck Kyushu, causing part of an Aeon Mall in Kumamoto to collapse, trapping shoppers and leaving 20-30 employees unaccounted for, while a chimney at a paper plant also fell.
A 6.8-magnitude earthquake hit Kyushu island on Saturday, causing extensive damage in Kumamoto prefecture. The second floor of the Aeon Mall in Kumamoto collapsed, prompting an evacuation of shoppers and staff. Police said contact has been lost with 20 to 30 mall employees and rescue teams are searching for any trapped persons.
Video footage from inside a nearby Costco store showed shelves toppling and pallets falling, while footage from outside the mall captured damaged façades, a torn awning and debris scattered across the car park. Emergency workers were seen preparing a trolley near an ambulance as the alarm sounded.
At the Nippon Paper Industries plant in Yatsushiro City, a chimney collapsed, leaving several people missing, according to police cited by NHK. Authorities are investigating the incident.
More than 40,000 households on Kyushu remain without electricity, and water and power outages have been reported in Hikawa town, where the town hall lost lighting after an emergency generator failed.
The Japan Meteorological Agency recorded 61 aftershocks, ranging from intensity one to six on its local scale. Officials warned of possible strong aftershocks later in the day.
"Following a request from the Governor of Kumamoto, the Self-Defence Forces are currently operating in the disaster-hit areas with 3,600 personnel," Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi said in a statement. "At this critical situation, guided by the principle of ‘human life first’, we are working in close cooperation with local authorities to minimise damage and ensure public safety."
The quake follows a series of strong tremors that have struck Kumamoto in the past, including deadly events in 2016 that killed hundreds.