Local police in Kumamoto, southern Japan, estimate a 'likely significant number' of fatalities at a shopping mall that collapsed during the powerful earthquake, according to reports. Japanese television reports that a large number of people are trapped under the rubble, with many injured. The earthquake struck Tuesday morning.
Japanese broadcaster TBS first reported a 'considerable' number of deaths following the collapse of a shopping mall in Kumamoto, southern Japan, after the powerful earthquake that struck Tuesday morning. Local police in Kumamoto subsequently estimated a 'likely significant number' of fatalities at the scene. Japanese television reports indicate that a large number of people remain trapped under the rubble, with many injured.
The magnitude 7.1 earthquake struck Kumamoto Prefecture at approximately 10:31 Jerusalem time, as The Zioneer reported earlier. The quake triggered tsunami warnings across seven prefectures and led to at least 50 hospitalizations. The mall collapse represents the most severe single incident from the earthquake so far. The full extent of casualties remains unclear.
3 developments
- StrongKumamoto quake: 50 injured treated at Hikawa hospital, Japanese media say
- StrongMagnitude 4.2 aftershock hits Kumamoto, Japan Meteorological Agency says
- DevelopingMagnitude 5.6 earthquake strikes central Japan near Tokyo
- StrongChannel 14 reports: Powerful earthquake in Venezuela; fears of thousands dead, trapped
Source and signal
- Open-source intake