The death toll from Tuesday's earthquake in southern Japan has risen to 18, as the country's leader said rescuers face a “race against time” to reach more people trapped after the 6.8-magnitude tremor.
Prime minister Sanae Takaichi said emergency workers in Kumamoto Prefecture “will marshal all available resources on the ground to save and rescue as many people as possible”.
The earthquake left a trail of destruction, with collapsed buildings, buckled roads and rescue teams combing through piles of rubble.
One of the worst-hit sites was an Aeon shopping mall in Kumamoto, where two women in their 20s were killed and rescuers pulled eight people from the rubble after part of the building collapsed in an explosion.
Hospitals near the epicentre were overwhelmed after power outages disrupted operations, with one describing itself as "like a field hospital" and another suspending new admissions after treating 86 injured patients.
The earthquake has knocked out electricity to nearly 50,000 homes, and residents have been warned to prepare for strong aftershocks over the coming week, alongside heatwave conditions and an ongoing risk of landslides.
Read MoreShoppers trapped after explosion at Japanese mall as earthquake injures dozens
Multiple deaths in explosion at shopping centre after 6.8 earthquake hits Japan
Is it safe to travel to Japan? Latest advice after deadly earthquake disrupts flights and trains
Japanese shopping mall explodes after earthquake hits country
Key Points
- Death toll rises to 18
- Authorities investigating gas explosion at Aeon Mall
- At least 13 people dead in earthquake as search continues for missing
- Latest pictures from Japan show extent of damage
- Japanese mall explosion caught on car dashcam - watch
- Mapped: Where a magnitude 6.8 earthquake struck Japan
- Is it safe to travel to Japan? Latest travel advice
Death toll rises to 18
10:54 , Shweta SharmaThe death toll in the 6.8-magnitude earthquake has risen to 18, according to media reports.
At least 62 people have been injured, six of them seriously, the Kumamoto prefectural government said.
Three dead and three missing at Aeon mall, president says
10:45 , Shweta SharmaAeon Mall president Akio Yoshida has said in a press conference that the death toll from the explosion at the shopping centre has risen to three.
He said three Aeon workers are still missing, clarifying that the company's earlier statement saying four were missing was inaccurate.
He said four others injured in the explosion were transported to a hospital.
Latest images show damage inside a hospital
10:23 , Shweta SharmaNew images from Kumamoto Minami Hospital in Uki City show the extent of the damage caused by the 6.8-magnitude earthquake that southern Japan yesterday.
Hospitals near the epicentre have been overwhelmed by the disaster, with power outages disrupting operations and emergency services struggling to cope as rescue efforts continue across the region.
It was like volcanic ash': Witness describes blast after Japan earthquake
10:09 , Shweta SharmaKazuya Tsurunaga said he was cleaning up dishes and glasses broken by the earthquake inside a pub about 300 metres from the Aeon shopping mall when a powerful explosion erupted.
The explosion happened almost an hour after the earthquake occurred.
"A large cloud of smoke was billowing up, and because the wind happened to be blowing, and the wind direction was toward the shop, it was like volcanic ash was falling around us," he told broadcaster TBS.
Authorities investigating gas explosion at Aeon Mall
09:56 , Shweta SharmaInvestigators have focused their investigations around a possible gas explosion at the Aeon mall after the earthquake.
Rescuers reported smelling gas inside the building but the cause of the incident was still under investigation, said Japan's top government spokesperson, Minoru Kihara.
A TV correspondent reporting from the site said an emergency vehicle repeatedly urged people not to get near the mall due to a possible gas leak.
Kihara said the mall used LPG (liquefied petroleum gas), which is transported in large canisters rather than via a pipeline.
Piped gas is automatically shut off by network operators if seismic activity reaches a certain threshold or damage is confirmed to the line, a spokesperson for the Japan Gas Association said.
But LPG also has such safety protocols, an official with the Japan LPG sales association said.
Microcomputer-controlled metres automatically shut off supply if they detect abnormalities such as leaks or pressure fluctuations, and are designed to cut supply during seismic activity of intensity 5 or higher, the official said.
Gas suppliers and safety service providers can also remotely shut off supply via radio transmission in emergencies, he added.
Aeon did not comment on its gas supplier or gas safety protocols.
Shopping mall hit by explosion had only just reopened after major refurb
09:45 , Shweta SharmaThe Aeon shopping mall devastated by Tuesday's earthquake had reopened just last month after a major redevelopment following the deadly 2016 Kumamoto earthquake.
The prefecture's largest shopping and entertainment complex had been rebuilt with seismically reinforced ceilings and other safety upgrades after suffering heavy damage a decade ago.
But video footage shot by a police officer after the disaster struck showed large sections of the ceiling had collapsed, store fronts had been blown open and furniture was strewn across the floor.
"We would like to express our deepest condolences to those who lost their lives," Aeon said. "We also extend our sincere apologies to the bereaved families and to those who were injured."
Mall operator working with teams to find four missing people
09:20 , Shweta SharmaAeon Mall has said that four people from the shopping centre are still missing more than 24 hours after the earthquake and explosion struck.
Aeon said in a statement that its immediate priority after the earthquake was to evacuate customers to safety. Employees from all 204 stores in the shopping centre were also safely evacuated.
It said the status of almost 2,700 employees was verified soon after the disaster and the company is working with authorities to find four missing people.
"We would like to express our deepest condolences to those who lost their lives," the firm said.
"We also extend our sincere apologies to the bereaved families and to those who were injured."
'I thought a bomb had gone off,' Aeon mall worker says
09:00 , Shweta SharmaWorkers near the Japanese mall that suffered an explosion in Tuesday's earthquake have described being thrown to the floor and being enveloped in a cloud of dust by the impact of the blast.
Hundreds of shoppers and store employees at the Aeon shopping mall who had already been evacuated during the earthquake watched on in horror as an explosion then ripped through the building, exposing the structure's steel beams and catapulting debris across the parking lot.
"I thought a bomb had gone off," Takateru Sonoda, 41, who runs a combined hair salon and cafe near the mall, told news agency Jiji Press.
"There were people calling on others to evacuate and sirens were ringing out. Nearby roads were gridlocked, it was a state of panic," Sonoda said.
One worker manning one of the mall's 200 stores told the Yomiuri newspaper that Tuesday's earthquake shook the building for 10 seconds and brought him to his knees.
Pictures: Residents pick up pieces after earthquake leaves a trail of destruction
08:35 , Shweta SharmaPeople were seen working alongside rescue workers, removing debris from sites damaged by the earthquake.
The earthquake has left behind a huge trail of destruction, with roads, signboards, buildings and shrines damaged.
Some businesses in the region suspended operations in the wake of the tremor.
Several thousand households were without electricity.
Resident recounts terrifying night of aftershocks
08:12 , Shweta SharmaRiko Furuta, 23, said she spent the night at her office after the earthquake struck and experienced aftershocks the entire night.
"I couldn't sleep because the earthquakes continued throughout the night. It was more frightening than 10 years ago," she told Kyodo.
She was referring to the 2016 disaster that left 278 people dead and hundreds injured.
As many as 170 aftershocks have been recorded as of Wednesday morning as people have been asked to stay alert for more seismic activity for a week.
Takaichi says evacuation centres are being provided with food, water and air-conditioning
07:57 , Shweta SharmaPrime minister Sanae Takaichi has said some 7,700 people have been evacuated and around 450 evacuation centres are currently open for displaced residents.
She said efforts are being made to provide evacuation centres with food, water, air-conditioning and power generators amid scorching heat in parts of the country.
"As the evacuation period drags on, it is absolutely important to ensure that conditions in the evacuation centres remain favourable," she says.
She added that over 4,000 personnel have been deployed to carry out rescue efforts.
Japan earthquake hits auto and chip supply chains in Kyushu
07:46 , Shweta SharmaThe powerful earthquake on Tuesday forced Japanese manufacturers to halt production at facilities across the island of Kyushu as they assess the damage.
The earthquake hit Kyushu, a manufacturing hub and an important part of the semiconductor and automobile industry's supply chains.
Toyota said on Wednesday it would halt operations at three plants in southern Japan through Friday as it weighed the impact of the earthquake on suppliers and logistics, just hours after resuming production which had stopped the previous day."
The situation, including aftershocks and recovery efforts, is changing daily," the world's biggest automaker said in a statement about the suspensions at its Miyata, Kanda and Kokura plants from Wednesday until 31 July.
Honda Motor Co said it would extend an operation suspension at its Kumamoto motorcycle plant, also until Friday, to allow repairs to quake-damaged parts of the factory.
Chipmaker Renesas said it halted operations at two plants in Kumamoto, which had suffered fallen ceiling panels, cracks in walls and some water leakage.
Japan records over 170 aftershocks after powerful quake
07:29 , Shweta SharmaOver 170 aftershocks had been reported in Kumamoto by Wednesday morning following yesterday's powerful 6.8-magnitude earthquake, according to NHK.
The tremors ranged in magnitude from 1 to 6, the agency said, referring to Japan's own seven-point seismic intensity scale.
Authorities have warned residents in the areas that felt the biggest tremors to be on alert for further strong quakes for about a week, as well as for the risk of landslides.
Is it safe to travel to Japan? Latest advice after deadly earthquake disrupts flights and trains
06:50 , Shweta SharmaTravellers headed to Japan may have heightened safety concerns after a magnitude 6.8 earthquake struck Kumamoto on the southernmost main island of Kyushu on Tuesday.
Although tsunami warnings have been lifted, the UK Foreign Office (FCDO) tells tourists that there are “reports of disruption to air and rail services” with earthquake aftershocks set to continue.
Here is the latest travel advice for Japan, plus all the key questions and answers, following the earthquake.
Is it safe to travel to Japan? Latest advice after deadly earthquake disrupts flights
Tremor of Japan earthquake felt in parts of South Korea
06:30 , Shweta SharmaThe powerful earthquake that struck Japan was also felt in parts of South Korea on Tuesday, authorities said.
Tremors were felt in the southern port city of Busan as well as Incheon, west of Seoul, and the central city of Daejeon.
Authorities said more than 170 phone calls reporting the tremor were received in Busan and some people had evacuated. Many people on the upper floors of buildings reported feeling the shaking and that parked vehicles moved slightly.
A total of 760 reports had been received across the country, the interior ministry and fire authorities said, adding that no damage had been reported.
Aerial view shows destruction at Nippon factory
05:56 , Shweta SharmaAerial footage from the Nippon Paper Industries factory shows the scale of destruction after the earthquake caused a towering chimney to snap and collapse onto the site.
The collapse trapped workers beneath the rubble, with rescue teams continuing to search for seven missing people.
Four others are seriously injured, a local government official said.
The factory has suspended operations while the company verifies employee safety and assesses damage.
'Like a field hospital': Quake-hit facilities struggle in Kumamoto
05:41 , Shweta SharmaSome hospitals have reported being overwhelmed in the aftermath of the disaster, as power outages exacerbated the strain on emergency services.
One hospital in Uki City, near the epicentre, said a power outage caused by the earthquake left it unable to function.
"It's become like a field hospital," the head of the hospital's administrative department told NHK.
Another hospital in the city said it had suspended admissions because it could no longer handle additional emergency cases after treating 86 people injured in the quake, including three with serious injuries.
Kumamoto quake likely caused by fault left unbroken after 2016 earthquakes, expert says
05:24 , Shweta SharmaSeismologists believe the powerful earthquake that struck Kumamoto on Tuesday may have been caused by a section of an active fault zone left unruptured after the devastating twin earthquakes that hit the same region in 2016.
The earthquake, which was measured at 7.1 magnitude by the Japanese disaster management authority and 6.8 by the US Geological Survey, hit Kumamoto Prefecture on Tuesday.
It occurred close to the epicentres of the magnitude 6.5 and 7.3 earthquakes a decade ago, which killed more than 270 people.
Experts told Kyodo that the 2016 disaster may have increased strain along the fault, triggering the latest rupture, and warn that strong seismic activity could continue.
Shinji Toda, a professor of seismology at Tohoku University, said: “It is believed that the 2016 earthquake caused a significant strain and stress, resulting in movements along part of the Hinagu fault zone".
Thousands of homes without power in summer heat
05:10 , Shweta SharmaMore than 48,000 homes are still without power in Kumamoto as temperatures soared to around 34C (93F) today, as authorities warned about the risk of heat stroke.
Hospitals near the epicentre are struggling to cope after the powerful quake, with one facility in Uki City describing itself as "like a field hospital" following a power outage that left it unable to function.
Another hospital has suspended new admissions after treating 86 injured people, including three with serious injuries, saying it could no longer handle additional emergency cases.
Latest pictures from Japan show extent of damage
04:38 , Shweta Sharma
Many remain missing at workplaces
04:27 , Shweta SharmaAs the full extent of the damage from the earthquake continues to emerge, many people remain unaccounted for in companies and factories.
Around 20 to 30 workers remain missing at the damaged Aeon shopping mall as emergency crews continue searching areas where calls for help were received.
Rescuers pulled eight people from the rubble of the partially collapsed shopping mall early today.
Seven people are also missing after a chimney collapsed at a Nippon Paper Industries factory, while four others are seriously injured, a local government official said.
At least 13 people dead in earthquake as search continues for missing
03:52 , Shweta SharmaJapan’s prime minister Sanae Takaichi said 13 people have died after a powerful earthquake and subsequent tremors rocked the Kyushu region.
Kyodo News said a hospital in the city of Yatsushiro took in about 40 people with injuries and about 50 others were taken to a hospital in Kumamoto city.
"There are people who are still waiting to be rescued, and it's a race against time," Takaichi said. "We will go all out to find and rescue as many people as we can."
Takaichi offered her condolences to the victims and sympathy to their relatives, while urging those affected by the quake to take care of themselves under the hot weather.
Japanese mall explosion caught on car dashcam
03:00 , Harriette BoucherICYMI: Around 3,600 military personnel dispatched to Kumamoto
02:00 , Harriette BoucherAround 3,600 military personnel were sent to Kumamoto yesterday to help emergency service efforts, which continued through the night.
It comes as workers urgently try to rescue the dozens of people who thought to be trapped in the Aeon Mall shopping centre in Kashima Town.
Prime minister Sanae Takaichi said: “The government will work tirelessly through the night to swiftly assess the overall damage situation and carry out emergency disaster response measures, starting with the rescue and lifesaving of those affected.
“At the same time, we will ensure the reliable delivery of essential supplies such as food and water, as well as simple air conditioners and power vehicles for heatstroke prevention, utilising push-type support where appropriate, and strive to secure a safe and suitable evacuation environment.”
Where a magnitude 6.8 earthquake struck Japan
01:00 , Harriette BoucherInside Japan’s shopping mall earthquake disaster amid ‘race against time’ to find survivors
09:58 , Shweta SharmaA powerful 7.1-magnitude earthquake in southern Japan was followed by a devastating explosion at a shopping mall, leaving three people dead and four workers unaccounted for.
The initial tremor on Tuesday sent workers at the facility reeling, throwing them to the floor and enveloping them in a cloud of dust.
Hundreds of shoppers and employees were quickly ushered to safety, but an hour later, a catastrophic blast ripped through the building. Eyewitnesses watched in horror as the explosion exposed the structure's steel beams and catapulted debris across the car park.
Inside Japan’s shopping mall earthquake disaster: ‘I thought a bomb had gone off’
Is it safe to travel to Japan? Latest advice after deadly earthquake disrupts flights and trains
Wednesday 29 July 2026 00:00 , Harriette BoucherAs of Tuesday afternoon, the FCDO has warned travellers: “A large earthquake struck Kumamoto Prefecture on 28 July 2026. There are reports of disruption to air and rail services.
“Train lines in Kyushu have been suspended and flights to and from Kumamoto airport have been disrupted. Earthquake aftershocks may also continue.”
General FCDO safety advice for Japan warns that the country sits “in a major earthquake zone”.
Travellers are told to “take note of instructions in hotel rooms and at train stations and follow the advice of local authorities” in the event of a disaster.
Earthquake, tsunami and aftershock warnings can be monitored on the Japan Meteorological Agency website.
Per FlightRadar24, hundreds of flights to and from Japan are currently delayed following the earthquake, including at Kumamoto airport and Fukuoka airport on the island of Kyushu.
Is it safe to travel to Japan? Latest advice after deadly earthquake disrupts flights
In pictures: 6.8 quake devastates parts of Kumamoto
Tuesday 28 July 2026 23:00 , Harriette Boucher
Two women dead following Aeon Mall explosion
Tuesday 28 July 2026 22:28 , Harriette BoucherThe explosion at Aeon shopping centre has killed at least two people, according to local media.
Japanese broadcaster NHK reported that two women in their 20s died, while five others were injured in the disaster.
This follows an earlier report from Kumamoto City's Disaster Management Division, which said that 10 people were missing.
Kumamoto residents urged to avoid tap water
Tuesday 28 July 2026 22:07 , Harriette BoucherResidents of Kumamoto has been told not to drink the tap water.
The government said cloudy water had been seen in parts of the city and it was inspecting water supply facilities.
Electricity was cut to about 48,300 households in Kumamoto Prefecture following the powerful earthquake, according to Kyushu Electric Power.
A history of Japan's largest quakes
Tuesday 28 July 2026 22:00 , Harriette BoucherJapan was rocked by a powerful 6.8 earthquake today, which is thought to have killed several people.
Residents in Kumamoto said the shake reminded them of the 2016 disaster that left 278 people dead across the prefecture and surrounding areas.
Around 20 per cent of the world’s earthquakes of magnitude 6 or greater take place in Japan and up to 2,000 quakes are felt by people each year.
These are some of the largest earthquakes that have struck Japan in the last 15 years:
- On March 16, 2022, a magnitude-7.4 earthquake jolted the coast off Fukushima again, leaving three dead, more than 200 injured and reviving memories of the quake and tsunami that crippled the Pacific coast region just over a decade earlier.
- On February 13, 2021, a 7.3-magnitude earthquake hit off the coast of Fukushima in eastern Japan, injuring dozens of people and triggering widespread power outages in Greater Tokyo.
- On September 6, 2018, a 6.7-magnitude earthquake paralysed Japan's northern island of Hokkaido, killing more than 40 people, triggering landslides and knocking out power to its 5.3 million residents.
- On June 18, 2018, a magnitude-6.1 earthquake in Osaka, Japan's second-biggest metropolis, killed four people, injured hundreds more and halted factory lines in an industrial area.
- On April 16, 2016, a 7.3-magnitude earthquake struck Kumamoto, the scene of Tuesday's temblor, killing more than 270 people, including some caught in landslides and heavy rain in the aftermath.
- On March 11, 2011, a 9.0-magnitude earthquake and tsunami struck northeast Japan, killing nearly 20,000 people and causing a meltdown at the Fukushima nuclear power plant, leading to the world's worst nuclear disaster since Chernobyl.
Aeon Mall mall explosion thought to be triggered by gas leak
Tuesday 28 July 2026 21:42 , Harriette BoucherThe explosion at Aeon Mall shopping centre is believed to have been triggered by a gas leak at the building, according to Japan's NHK national television.
Tuesday’s earthquake collapsed the second floor of the Aeon Mall shopping centre and has trapped an unknown number of people there.
Emergency services have pulled four people out with injuries, while 10 others were unaccounted for, the Kumamoto prefectural emergency response team said.
It said the extent of the damage was still being investigated as the search and rescue effort continued.
At least 200 being treated for injuries after earthquake
Tuesday 28 July 2026 21:23 , Harriette BoucherAt least 200 people are receiving treatment for injuries following the 6.8 magnitude earthquake that rocked southwestern Japan on Tuesday.
According to NHK, around 80 people were receiving treatment for injuries at Yatsushiro Northern Regional Medical Center in Hikawa, Kumamoto.
It reported that another 84 people were receiving treatment at a hospital in Kumamoto city.
Uki General Hospital in Uki City has admitted 40 injured people, the broadcaster said.
Another 10 people were also reportedly injured at a nursing home in Kumamoto.
Watch: Moment 7.1 magnitude earthquake strikes Japan
Tuesday 28 July 2026 21:15 , Harriette BoucherMore than 60 aftershocks since 6.8 quake
Tuesday 28 July 2026 20:30 , Harriette BoucherThere have been more than 60 aftershocks in Japan ranging from magnitude 1 to 4 on Tuesday, according to the country’s meteorological agency.
In Japan’s own seismic intensity scale, these aftershocks have ranged from 1 to 6.
The agency says a magnitude intensity of 1 means a slight shaking is felt by people indoors, while a magnitude intensity of 7 means furniture that is not fixed in place will move, fall over and may even be thrown by the force of the earthquake.
