At least 13 killed in Japan earthquake as rescuers search for survivors in a ‘race against time’
A magnitude-7.1 earthquake in Japan's Kumamoto prefecture has resulted in at least 13 deaths and widespread infrastructure damage. Rescue efforts are currently underway as officials warn of potential secondary hazards like heatstroke.
Why it matters
This event highlights the ongoing vulnerability of regions prone to seismic activity and the logistical challenges of disaster response.
At least 13 people have been killed in southwestern Japan after a magnitude-7.1 earthquake, Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi said Wednesday, as rescuers searched for people trapped in collapsed buildings, including a shopping mall. “Even now, there are people waiting to be rescued, and this is a race against time. We will marshal all available resources on the ground to save and rescue as many people as possible,” Takaichi told reporters in Tokyo. The quake struck Tuesday afternoon in Kumamoto prefecture on Japan’s southern main island of Kyushu at a relatively shallow depth of 6 miles, prompting tsunami warnings and evacuation from coastal areas. The epicenter was about 12 miles south of the city of Kumamoto, which has a population of about 700,000.
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