A violent 7.1-magnitude earthquake struck the island of Kyushu, in southwestern Japan, this Tuesday, leaving a critical emergency situation following the partial collapse of a commercial complex. The tremor occurred at 16:27 local time and reached the maximum level of seven on the Japanese Shindo seismic scale, a system that measures the intensity of shaking and its destructive potential on buildings and infrastructure.
The most serious tragedy has been concentrated in a shopping center in the region, where the second floor of the building collapsed in a matter of seconds, leaving dozens of people trapped under the rubble. The TBS television network has reported a “considerable” number of fatalities inside the complex, while witnesses claimed to have heard a loud explosion before the collapse. Emergency teams are working intensely on the rescue, while at least fifty injured people have already been taken to hospitals.
The impact on regional infrastructure has been massive. Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi reported urban fires, bridges with structural damage, and the collapse of at least a dozen homes. In addition, a freight train derailed and numerous cracks have opened in the asphalt of the roads. In Kumamoto prefecture, the company Kyushu Electric Power reported that some 45,000 households remain without electricity supply.
Despite the magnitude of the event, the Japan Meteorological Agency lifted an initial tsunami warning after confirming that the movement occurred inland. Likewise, it has been confirmed that there are no anomalies at the nuclear power plants in the area; the operational reactors continue to function normally, a piece of information of particular relevance for public peace of mind following the memory of Fukushima.
This disaster has struck a region that still remembers the fateful earthquakes of 2016, which caused 273 deaths. Located on the Pacific Ring of Fire, Japan accounts for 18% of the world’s earthquakes, which forces its population to be in a state of constant vigilance against a threat that is part of their daily life.
