The death toll from the powerful earthquake that struck Kumamoto Prefecture in southwestern Japan has risen to 34, authorities said on Thursday, as rescue teams continued searching for survivors beneath collapsed buildings.
The magnitude 6.8 earthquake struck Kyushu Island on Tuesday, causing widespread destruction to homes, roads and power infrastructure. One of the worst hit sites was the Aeon shopping centre in Kashima, where part of the building collapsed and an explosion occurred about an hour after the initial quake.
Rescue workers have remained at the scene, searching through the rubble for anyone still trapped inside. Investigators believe the explosion was likely caused by a gas leak, although the exact cause remains under investigation.
More than 9,000 people have been displaced and are sheltering in evacuation centres, while around 30,000 households remained without electricity as of Wednesday.
Authorities are also facing a growing humanitarian challenge as the region experiences extreme summer temperatures. Weather forecasts indicate temperatures could reach 39 degrees Celsius in the coming days, increasing the risk of heat-related illnesses among survivors and emergency responders.
Japan’s Defence Minister Shinjiro Koizumi announced that 300 air conditioning units were being delivered to Kumamoto, with half designated for evacuation centres to help protect displaced residents from the heat.
Emergency workers said many elderly evacuees were already suffering from symptoms consistent with heatstroke. Several people have been taken to hospital for treatment.
At one evacuation centre housing about 1,000 people, staff member Yukiya Sanoue said electricity and water supplies had been cut off following the earthquake, leaving the facility without air conditioning until a generator arrived on Wednesday afternoon.
More than 100 aftershocks have been recorded since the initial quake, prompting many residents to spend nights in their vehicles rather than return to damaged homes.
Thousands of military personnel, firefighters and rescue workers remain deployed across the disaster zone as search operations continue.
Meanwhile, a cat café inside the damaged Aeon shopping centre confirmed that all 25 cats left behind during the evacuation had been safely rescued.
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