Death toll in Japan earthquake rises to 17 as aftershock and heat complicate rescue efforts
A magnitude 6.8 earthquake in Japan's Kumamoto prefecture has resulted in 17 deaths and dozens of injuries. Rescue efforts are being hampered by high temperatures and significant aftershocks, leaving thousands without power or water.
Why it matters
Natural disasters of this scale highlight the vulnerability of infrastructure and the ongoing humanitarian challenges in disaster-prone regions.
0:43 Police footage shows scale of damage inside Aeon mall after explosion cause by Japan quake – video Japan Death toll in Japan earthquake rises to 17 as aftershock and heat complicate rescue efforts Soldiers and emergency workers are combing through a badly damaged shopping mall and collapsed houses looking for trapped survivors
Prefer the Guardian on Google The death toll from the major earthquake that hit Japan on Tuesday has risen to 17, as the search for trapped survivors inside a badly damaged shopping mall and collapsed houses in the country’s south-west continues.
The magnitude 6.8 earthquake that struck the Kumamoto prefecture on the island of Kyushu has injured at least 62, the prefectural government said. That number has steadily grown, fanning fears it will rise.
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