The death toll from a powerful earthquake in Japan has risen to 30, with thousands of personnel involved in ongoing search-and-rescue operations. Many are working to free individuals trapped in rubble, particularly at Kashima's Aeon shopping center, where a section of the second floor collapsed.
An explosion occurred at the mall approximately one hour after the initial earthquake. Aeon's president indicated that a gas explosion is "very likely," although the exact cause is still under investigation. A cat cafe located within the mall reported that its 25 cats, left behind during the initial chaos, have all been safely rescued.
This particular Aeon mall in Kumamoto had only recently reopened last month after extensive renovations. It had sustained damage during a series of major earthquakes in April 2016, which resulted in 278 fatalities in the region.
Rescuers are also concentrating efforts at a Nippon Paper factory in Yatsushiro city, where at least five people died following a partial collapse during the tremor. Nippon Paper stated on Wednesday that eleven people were trapped in the factory, with seven having been rescued so far.
The earthquake, which occurred at a shallow depth of 10 kilometers (6 miles), caused widespread shock among residents across Kumamoto. Hiroko Ogata, a 75-year-old restaurant owner in Yatsushiro, described hiding under a table in her establishment as the quake violently shook the building. "I have lived here for 75 years, but I have never experienced such a big quake," she told the BBC. "I thought I would die."
Thousands of individuals are currently residing in evacuation centers, where they are contending with soaring temperatures. The extreme heat exacerbates the difficult conditions for those displaced by the disaster.