Rescuers search for the missing after Japan earthquake as death toll rises to 13
A magnitude 7.1 earthquake in Japan's Kumamoto region has resulted in at least 13 deaths and left many missing. Rescue teams are working against time to find survivors trapped in collapsed buildings amid an ongoing heat wave.
Why it matters
The disaster has caused significant infrastructure damage and humanitarian challenges, requiring urgent government intervention and international attention.
KUMAMOTO, Japan — Soldiers and emergency workers combed through a badly damaged shopping mall and collapsed houses looking for trapped survivors Wednesday after a powerful earthquake that killed at least 13 people and left many missing in southwestern Japan.
Bullet train services and some airport operations remained suspended and damage was still being assessed a day after the magnitude 7.1 earthquake struck the Kumamoto area on the southern main island of Kyushu.
"There are people who are still waiting to be rescued, and it's a race against time," Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi said. "We will go all out to find and rescue as many people as we can."
About 36,900 homes were still without electricity, 9,500 homes were without gas and communication networks were not working in some areas, chief government spokesman Minoru Kihara told reporters.
Get smarter about the news
Sign up free for a feed built around what you actually care about, Dive Deeper research on any story, and the full text of every article.
Create free accountAlready have an account? Sign in