Strong Earthquake Hits Kumamoto Overnight, Rescue Operations Underway; "Two Dead at Shopping Mall"

[Anchor]

A strong magnitude 7.1 earthquake has struck Japan's Kumamoto region, resulting in a rising death toll. Aftershocks are also continuing.

For our leading story today, July 29, here is reporter Han Sung-hee.

[Reporter]

Fire trucks and ambulances are arriving one after another at the Aeon Mall, a large shopping mall in Kashima, Kumamoto Prefecture, where rescue workers can be seen deployed for operations.

Local media reported that rescue operations are underway for around 10 people inside the shopping mall who had lost contact, and among those reached, two were confirmed dead and one was found in cardiac arrest as of 5:00 a.m. today.

In addition, at a paper mill in neighboring Yatsushiro where a chimney collapsed, 11 people were isolated as of 10:00 p.m. last night. Among them, two were found in cardiac arrest, and search operations are ongoing for the remaining nine, according to reports.

Earlier, Japan's Ministry of Defense deployed 3,600 Ground Self-Defense Force personnel for rescue and recovery operations, and overnight rescue efforts were carried out in major affected areas including the Aeon Mall.

However, reports indicate that rescue operations are facing difficulties due to concerns over secondary collapses.

The scale of damage is expected to continue growing as rescue work progresses.

[Takaichi Sanae / Japanese Prime Minister: Large-scale damage has been confirmed so far, including human casualties, collapsed buildings, damaged roads, and fires.]

At Saiseikai Hospital, where more than 50 injured people were transported, a woman brought in while in cardiac arrest also reportedly died.

The earthquake, with a magnitude of 7.1 and a focal depth of 10 km, struck the Kumamoto region of Kyushu, Japan, at 4:27 p.m. yesterday.

A seismic intensity of 7 is the highest on the Japan Meteorological Agency's shindo scale. This is the first time an intensity of 7 has been observed in Japan since the Noto Peninsula earthquake in January 2024.

This marks 10 years since the April 2016 earthquakes in Kumamoto, which registered an intensity of 7 twice and caused over 270 deaths.

South Korea's Ministry of Foreign Affairs stated that no South Korean casualties have been confirmed so far.

(Video Editing: Shin Se-eun)
※ Please note: This article was translated by AI and may contain errors.