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Rescuers search for the missing after Japan earthquake : NPR
NPR • • general
Key Points:
- A magnitude 7.1 earthquake struck the Kumamoto area in southwestern Japan, killing at least 18 people, including a Vietnamese foreign worker, and injuring 62 others, with fears the death toll may rise.
- The Aeon Mall in Kashima city suffered severe damage, including a second-floor collapse and a gas explosion, resulting in four confirmed deaths and three people missing.
- A chimney collapse at a Nippon Paper Industries factory killed five people and trapped four others, while rescue efforts continue amid sweltering heat and power outages affecting nearly 35,000 homes.
- Japan's Self Defense Forces, firefighters from Taiwan, and emergency workers are conducting search and rescue operations, with Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi emphasizing the urgency and pledging government support for affected areas.
- Transportation disruptions persist, with bullet train services suspended and some flights canceled, as the region recovers from one of Japan's most recent major earthquakes since the deadly 2016 Kumamoto quake.
