A 7.1 magnitude earthquake rocked southwestern Japan on Tuesday, trapping dozens inside a collapsed shopping mall, sparking fires, and injuring at least 50 people, officials said. The quake struck Kyushu island at 4:27 p.m. local time (2:27 a.m. Eastern), triggering power outages and structural damage across the region.

Rescue efforts underway as casualties mount

Local emergency services confirmed multiple injuries and possible fatalities after the tremor caused the second floor of a shopping complex in Kashima to collapse. A police source told Japan’s TBS network there were "a lot of deaths" at the Aeon Mall, though officials cautioned it would take time to verify the toll. Firefighters reported people trapped inside the damaged structure, while NHK footage showed blazes, cracked roads, and a derailed cargo train.

Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi said authorities were still assessing the full extent of the damage but confirmed power outages, fires, and collapsed buildings. The Japan Meteorological Agency recorded the quake at the highest shaking intensity—level seven on the Shindo scale—while the U.S. Geological Survey measured it at 6.8. A brief tsunami alert for waves up to three feet was later lifted.

Japan’s seismic risks and past disasters

Japan sits on four tectonic plates along the Pacific "Ring of Fire," experiencing hundreds of earthquakes annually. While most cause little damage, the 2011 9.0-magnitude quake and tsunami killed nearly 18,500 people and triggered the Fukushima nuclear disaster. Kumamoto, near Tuesday’s epicenter, suffered two deadly quakes in 2016, killing 273 and injuring over 2,800.

Kyushu Electric Power reported 45,000 households without power but confirmed no abnormalities at three operating nuclear reactors in the region. Authorities urged residents to remain vigilant for aftershocks, with an NHK reporter describing violent shaking that made standing difficult even 30 minutes after the initial tremor.

What happens next

Rescue teams are prioritizing trapped survivors at the Aeon Mall, while officials continue damage assessments. The government has not issued new tsunami warnings, but seismologists warn of potential aftershocks. Updates on casualties and infrastructure repairs are expected in the coming hours.