Japan’s Rescuers Battle Cruel Heat After Major Earthquake
The New York Times • • general
Key Points:
- The death toll from the magnitude-6.8 earthquake in Kumamoto, southwestern Japan, has risen to 36 four days after the disaster.
- Rescue workers are contending with around 300 aftershocks and extreme heat nearing 100 degrees Fahrenheit while searching for survivors in collapsed buildings.
- More than 9,000 people remain displaced and are sheltering in evacuation centers across the affected region.
- At the damaged Aeon shopping mall, rescue teams continue to work in shifts amid difficult conditions, having recovered five survivors but also seven fatalities from the building collapse.
- Authorities emphasize ongoing efforts to find any remaining survivors despite the challenging environment, including heat trapped inside the rubble and heavy protective gear worn by workers.
