Japan earthquake kills at least 5 as rescuers search for people trapped in damaged mall and factory

Key Points:

• A powerful earthquake with a magnitude of 7.1 struck southwestern Japan's Kumamoto Prefecture, killing at least five people and injuring or leaving dozens missing, with significant damage to an Aeon Mall shopping center and a paper mill.
• The mall suffered a partial collapse after a gas leak-triggered explosion, trapping multiple people, while at least 11 were trapped at the Nippon Paper Industries plant following a chimney collapse, with some found without vital signs.
• Emergency services reported ongoing rescues and hospitalizations, with power outages affecting approximately 45,000 households and concerns raised about water shortages and heat-related risks amid recent high temperatures.
• The Japan Meteorological Agency issued and later withdrew a tsunami warning, confirmed no nuclear plant abnormalities, and noted continued aftershocks, while Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi established an emergency operations center to coordinate disaster response.
• Japan, located along the Pacific "Ring of Fire," frequently experiences earthquakes, with recent seismic activity including a 7.2 magnitude quake in June and ongoing advisories about potential stronger quakes following a 7.7 magnitude tremor in April.