Japan Kumamoto earthquake: What happened, damage, victims, latest updates
A magnitude 7.1 earthquake struck Japan's Kyushu island, causing significant infrastructure damage, building collapses, and power outages. Emergency crews are currently searching for survivors while authorities monitor for potential aftershocks.
Why it matters
The event highlights the ongoing seismic vulnerability of the region and the effectiveness of Japan's disaster response infrastructure.
A magnitude 7.1 earthquake struck Japan’s Kyushu island, causing building collapses, fires and widespread damage.
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A powerful earthquake struck Japan’s Kumamoto prefecture on the southwestern island of Kyushu on Tuesday, killing at least 13 people and causing widespread destruction.
Rescue crews continued searching for survivors as authorities warned that strong aftershocks could continue over the coming days.
The magnitude 7.1 earthquake struck the Kumamoto prefecture on Kyushu island at 4:30pm (07:30 GMT) on Tuesday, although the US Geological Survey (USGS) later revised its estimate to 6.8.
A tsunami advisory was issued immediately after the earthquake but was later lifted.
The earthquake caused widespread damage as buildings collapsed.
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