[Anchor]
The death toll from the earthquakes in Kumamoto, Kyushu, Japan, has risen to 28. Aftershocks have continued over 100 times, including a magnitude 5.8 aftershock last night.
Reporter Kim Young-a has the story.
[Reporter]
On the third day since the earthquakes struck, rescue operations are underway in Kumamoto Prefecture to search for missing and trapped people.
At the AEON Mall, where a major explosion occurred, two additional fatalities were confirmed yesterday (July 29).
The Japanese government announced that as of 6:30 AM today, the death toll from the Kumamoto earthquakes had reached 28.
Chief Cabinet Secretary Kihara Minoru added that this figure includes cases whose direct connection to the disaster is currently under investigation.
Authorities are conducting additional search operations, focusing on areas such as a paper mill where a large chimney collapsed, causing fatalities.
However, operations are facing difficulties due to the heavy debris and ongoing aftershocks.
More than 100 aftershocks have occurred so far, and a magnitude 5.8 earthquake struck off the coast near Kumamoto Prefecture last night.
[Takaichi Sanae / Prime Minister of Japan: It is a race against time. We will mobilize all resources to rescue as many people as possible.]
Fearing aftershocks and further collapses, a significant number of residents have evacuated buildings and are living on the streets or in their cars.
As a result, long lines have formed at gas stations as residents rush to refuel.
While the Japanese government is operating shelters in various locations, a sudden influx of evacuees has caused severe congestion.
Some shelters have broken air conditioning units, leaving evacuees vulnerable to extreme heat.
With a heatstroke warning issued for Kumamoto Prefecture, temperatures are forecast to soar up to 40°C (104°F) early next week.
This has raised alarms not only for search and rescue operations but also for the health management of evacuees.
The Japanese government has urged special caution regarding health, particularly for the elderly and those with chronic illnesses.
(Video Editing: Kim Byung-jik)
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