Tokyo, August 2: The death toll from the powerful earthquake in Kumamoto Prefecture, Japan, has risen to 38, according to provincial government officials. This update was provided during a disaster management meeting held on Sunday.
As reported by the Xinhua news agency, officials indicated that the fatalities include individuals whose deaths are still under investigation to determine if they were caused by the 7.1 magnitude earthquake.
In Yatsushiro City, rescue teams managed to extract ten individuals from the Nippon Paper Factory, where smoke had engulfed the area due to the quake. Eight of those rescued have been confirmed dead, while two others sustained injuries. Additionally, a missing person was found in the debris on Thursday afternoon, but their condition remains unknown.
At the Aeon Mall Kumamoto in Kashima Town, where a significant explosion occurred post-earthquake, twelve people were rescued. Seven of them have been confirmed dead, and five others are injured. Police and firefighters continue their search operations to ensure no one else is trapped inside the building.
Currently, over 9,400 people are residing in 406 evacuation shelters across the affected area. The earthquake has left approximately 79,700 homes without water. Local authorities have stated that there is no timetable yet for restoring water services in any of the impacted municipalities.
Meanwhile, by Thursday afternoon, around 19,000 homes were still without electricity. Kyushu Electric Power has indicated that if repairs proceed as planned, power restoration is expected by Friday evening.
On Wednesday, Japan’s Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi held a second disaster control headquarters meeting regarding the Kumamoto earthquake. Kumamoto’s governor, Kimura, and Deputy Minister Tsushima from the Cabinet Office participated virtually in the meeting.
Takaichi expressed her condolences to the victims and sympathy to the grieving families. She assured that the Japanese government is working swiftly to assess the damage caused by the earthquake, while relevant ministries and agencies are engaged in initial relief efforts.
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