An extensive search-and-rescue mission concluded on Saturday at a collapsed shopping mall in Kumamoto Prefecture, Japan. This followed a magnitude 7.1 earthquake that struck on Tuesday, resulting in the deaths of 34 individuals.
Impact at Aeon Mall
The Aeon Mall in Kashima town suffered significant damage. Following the earthquake, a gas leak likely caused an explosion, leading to the collapse of a floor and walls. Around 3,000 shoppers had been evacuated to a parking area, but some employees remained inside the building.
Rescue teams recovered five people alive and discovered the bodies of seven others over five days. Authorities confirmed all missing persons were found, culminating the operation at the mall.
Ongoing Challenges in Kumamoto
The overall tally of missing persons across the prefecture remains unclear. Search efforts continue with thousands of Self Defense troops, police, and rescue teams, including rescue dogs.
Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi emphasized the importance of thorough searches to leave no one unrescued during a government meeting on Saturday.
Other Affected Sites
In another location in Kumamoto, a chimney collapse at the Nippon Paper Industries factory in Yatsushiro city trapped 11 workers. Nine deaths were confirmed, while two people were rescued.
Health and Infrastructure Concerns
The earthquake resulted in injuries to 103 individuals in Kumamoto. Investigations are ongoing into two additional deaths to determine if they are related to the quake.
Nearly 70,000 households are experiencing water shortages, while fuel scarcity coincides with high temperatures, which pose health risks due to heat-related illnesses. The Japanese Meteorological Agency recorded temperatures of 36.6 degrees Celsius (97.8 degrees Fahrenheit) in Kumamoto city on Saturday.
Living Conditions and Government Response
Over 9,000 people continue to reside in overcrowded shelters, such as converted community centers and school gyms. Privacy concerns lead some to sleep in parked cars or near their homes.
Critics have pointed out issues related to sanitation and privacy in emergency shelters, which can aggravate health issues. To address these problems, authorities distribute supplies such as water, food, portable toilets, air conditioners, and partitions.
Prime Minister Takaichi assured that the government remains committed to providing necessary support.
Damage Assessment
The prefecture has reported over 1,500 instances of power loss. Despite this, the local power company informed that no outages had been observed on Kyushu island.
Official assessments reveal that over 180 homes were destroyed, and approximately 3,500 buildings sustained damage. This figure nearly doubled from reports on the previous day, with 20 of them severely impacted.