In brief
A strong earthquake in Kumamoto Prefecture on Kyushu island triggered a partial collapse of the AEON shopping mall, resulting in an explosion and smoke. Rescue teams remain on the scene, still searching for survivors in the damaged structure. Witnesses reported a blast and a collapse of the second floor after the shaking. The incident underscores the ongoing vulnerability of building structures in seismically active regions of Japan.
At 16:27 local time, a magnitude 6.8 earthquake struck Kumamoto Prefecture on Japan’s Kyushu island. In the aftermath, the AEON shopping mall suffered a partial collapse, and witnesses heard an explosion and saw smoke erupt from the building.
The mall’s operator reported that the structure exploded after staff and shoppers had already evacuated. Rescue teams are still combing the debris for survivors, while the collapse of the second floor added to the urgency of the response.
Officials said the quake was the strongest in the area in several years, raising concerns about the safety of older commercial buildings in Japan’s disaster‑prone regions.
