Death toll rises in Japan – defense mobilized

 

TT-AFP

 

Published 01:47Updated 09:05

 

A shopping mall was destroyed in the earthquake. Photo: Naoki Hiraoka/AP/TT

At least 13 people have died in the earthquake that hit Japan on Tuesday, Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi announced.

Rescue work continues in many places on Wednesday.

"Extensive damage has been confirmed, including personal injuries, collapsed buildings, fires and damage to roads," the Prime Minister wrote on X.

According to the government, more than 9,000 people are in various evacuation centers.

Several people are reported to be trapped in the shopping mall that collapsed in the earthquake. A floor of the shopping mall collapsed and witnesses at the scene report that they heard an explosion and saw smoke rising from the building. Eight people have been rescued from the rubble.

According to Defense Minister Shinjiro Koizumi, the military has mobilized 3,600 people for rescue work and sent 20 aircraft to survey the damage from the air.

The quake struck on Tuesday afternoon local time at a depth of ten kilometers on the island of Kyushu. The US Geological Survey initially measured the magnitude at 7.1 but later revised it down to 6.8.

Across Kumamoto, more than 36,000 homes and businesses were still without power on Wednesday morning.

A tsunami warning was issued, but it was lifted after less than two hours.

The Sendai nuclear power plant, which is located on the island, is undamaged, according to the UN atomic energy agency IAEA.

Japan is one of the world's most seismically active countries and lies on four major tectonic plates along the western edge of the Pacific Ocean's "Ring of Fire."