A magnitude 7.1 earthquake shook Japan’s southern main island of Kyushu late Tuesday afternoon, causing damage and injuries, officials said. The second floor at the Aeon Mall shopping center in Kashima Town collapsed, trapping an unknown number of people. Rescue operations were being carried out, the Fire and Disaster Management Agency said without giving further details.

Earthquake Details

There was a report of an explosion before the collapse at the center, Kyodo News Agency reported. A tsunami advisory for the nearby Ariake and Yatsushiro Seas on the western coasts of Kumamoto and three neighboring prefectures was temporarily issued but was lifted within two hours, the Japan Meteorological Agency said.

The U.S. Geological Survey initially said the earthquake had a magnitude of 7.1, but revised it later to 6.8. Japan’s Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi, in a message posted on X, said her government has set up a task force to gather information, assess possible damage and prepare for rescue operations if needed.

Takaichi later told reporters that there have been reports of a number of injuries and damages to roads, bridges and buildings, as well as blackouts and fire, though details are still unclear. Kyodo News Agency said a hospital in Yatsushiro city accepted about 40 people with injuries from the quake.

Response and Aftermath

A train was derailed and fell on its side at the Yatsushiro station, and stone walls were damaged at the Kumamoto castle, Kyodo said. Yozo Kai, a priest at a Shinto shrine in the nearby town of Mashiki, said a few stone lanterns fell down. “I worried if the main hall and the gate would tilt again,” he told Kyodo.

Japan’s Fire and Disaster Management Agency said there were no reports of damage to major public facilities and infrastructure, though authorities were still assessing the extent of damage. Local fire departments received many emergency calls reporting fires and damage to homes.

Shinji Kiyomoto, JMA’s Earthquake and Tsunami Countermeasures planning officer, told a news conference that the shallow earthquake was triggering active seismic activity in the area, urging residents to especially be cautious over the next two to three days.

Original reporting: WTVQ (Lexington) — read the source article.