Death Toll Reaches 34 in Fourth Day of Rescue Operations Amid Aftershocks and Heatwave

[Anchor]
The death toll from the powerful earthquake in Kumamoto Prefecture, Japan, has risen to 34. Rescuers are facing mounting difficulties as blistering heat and continuous aftershocks hamper rescue efforts.

Reporter Je Hui-won has the details.

[Reporter]

AEON Mall, a large shopping center in Kumamoto Prefecture, Japan, is heavily tangled with collapsed steel structures and debris caused by the disaster.

Rescue workers are searching for missing persons with the aid of rescue dogs.

So far, 7 people have been confirmed dead and 5 injured at this location, while the exact number of missing persons and their status remain unknown.

Japanese society is particularly shaken because large shopping centers equipped with spacious areas and food supplies, including AEON Mall, have traditionally served as evacuation hubs during disasters.

[Yoshida Akio / AEON Group President (June 29): Our facilities have served as temporary shelters and supply hubs, adapting to disasters in various ways to function as emergency bases.]

At the Nippon Paper Industries factory, where a 100-meter chimney collapsed leaving 8 dead and 2 injured, the last buried person has been rescued, though their condition has not been disclosed, according to Japanese broadcaster NHK.

Despite ongoing rescue operations, the death toll from the powerful earthquake has climbed to 34.

[Kihara Minoru / Japanese Chief Cabinet Secretary: Saving those affected by the disaster is a race against time. Police, firefighters, and the Self-Defense Forces will continue to make every possible effort for life-saving operations.]

Frequent aftershocks and a scorching heatwave with daytime temperatures hovering around 35°C (95°F) are also major obstacles to rescue and recovery efforts.

Nearly 10,000 evacuees are staying in shelters due to the earthquake, but disruptions in electricity and water supplies are escalating the risk of heat-related illnesses amid the extreme heat.

(Video Editing: Nam Il)
※ Please note: This article was translated by AI and may contain errors.