Japan Earthquake Kills Multiple at Kumamoto Mall; 19 Still Missing July 29

A magnitude 7.1 earthquake struck Japan’s Kumamoto prefecture on Tuesday at 4:35 p.m. local time, triggering an explosion at Aeon Mall that killed multiple people and left 19 unaccounted for. The tremor forced 300,000 people to evacuation centres, damaged roads and bridges, knocked out power to 46,000 homes, and suspended all transport. A chimney collapse at a nearby paper factory added to the toll.

What happened at the shopping mall

The Aeon Mall’s second floor collapsed after the initial quake, followed by an explosion authorities believe was caused by a gas leak. Between 20 and 30 workers remain trapped or missing. Four people were rescued, but police say several are presumed dead. The mall, which reopened after damage from a 2016 earthquake, holds about 200 shops and businesses. White smoke billowed from the building as large sections of its exterior were blown off, exposing steel beams underneath.

Damage across the region

At least 12 houses collapsed and a high-speed train derailed at Yatsushiro station. Stone walls at Kumamoto castle were damaged. A chimney at Nippon Paper Industries’ Yatsushiro Plant partially collapsed, leaving nine workers unaccounted for and two in cardiac arrest. More than 50 people were injured at one hospital and around 40 at another, including 10 in serious condition. Dozens more were injured across the prefecture.

Evacuation and infrastructure disruption

Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi instructed roughly 300,000 people to move to evacuation shelters. Shinkansen bullet trains and local trains in Kyushu were suspended for safety checks. Aso Kumamoto Airport closed its runway with no prospect of resuming operations. Kyushu Electric Power reported 46,000 households without power, though some service was being restored. A tsunami warning was issued but lifted within two hours.

Aftershocks and nuclear safety

The Japan Meteorological Agency recorded 26 aftershocks ranging from magnitude 3.3 to 4.5, followed by a magnitude 6.1 tremor at 5:12 p.m. and a magnitude 4.1 aftershock early Wednesday. The quake’s shallow 10-kilometre depth, about 20 kilometres south of Kumamoto city, intensified damage. Japan’s Nuclear Regulation Authority confirmed no abnormalities at three nearby nuclear power plants. The US Geological Survey later revised the initial magnitude 7.1 reading to 6.8 as seismologists analysed new data.

Final Thoughts

The Kumamoto earthquake ranks among Japan’s most destructive recent disasters. Rescue operations continue as authorities search for the 19 missing. Investors and residents in the region should monitor infrastructure repair timelines and supply chain impacts.

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