Rescuers in southern Japan are searching for survivors after a powerful 7.1-magnitude earthquake kills at least 13 people. Multiple outlets report that the quake caused severe damage to a shopping mall, with teams combing through collapsed areas for trapped residents. Rescuers also look through other damaged structures, including houses, as authorities assess broader impacts across the region.
Reporting describes the earthquake as knocking out power to thousands of homes and rupturing or damaging roads, complicating rescue efforts. France 24 and others say responders battle through debris at the mall wreckage, while NPR notes emergency workers and soldiers conducting searches for missing people. Several accounts indicate damage extends beyond the mall, including reports of impacts to additional facilities.
One outlet, The Hindu, also mentions a suspected explosion inside the shopping mall, which is referenced in connection with the building’s destruction. Authorities continue rescue operations as the death toll reaches 13 and efforts proceed amid damaged infrastructure and ongoing search conditions.
