Japan's earthquake death toll climbed to 30 on Thursday as rescue teams continued searching for survivors trapped beneath the rubble of a collapsed shopping mall in Kumamoto following a powerful quake and a suspected gas explosion.
Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi confirmed the updated death toll as emergency workers pressed on with rescue operations at the Aeon shopping mall, where a massive blast struck about 50 minutes after Tuesday's 7.1-magnitude earthquake.
Disaster officials said rescuers have pulled 10 people from the wreckage so far, including four confirmed dead, one person showing no vital signs, and five others with injuries ranging from minor to severe.
The earthquake flattened homes, damaged bridges, sparked fires and left tens of thousands of residents without electricity and running water, with temperatures expected to soar to 38°C over the weekend.
Search for survivors continues
Authorities evacuated the shopping mall immediately after the earthquake, but officials believe some employees remained inside when the suspected gas explosion tore through the building.
Rescue crews continued combing through twisted steel, collapsed concrete and tangled cables in hopes of finding more survivors.
The disaster also claimed lives elsewhere. Officials confirmed five workers were killed and four others remain missing after part of a smokestack collapsed at a Nippon Paper Industries factory in Yatsushiro City.
Heat worsens humanitarian crisis
Thousands of displaced residents sought shelter in community centres as power outages left homes without air conditioning during an intense heatwave.
As of Thursday morning, about 22,670 households and facilities remained without electricity, while roughly 84,000 homes continued to experience water disruptions.
Authorities have distributed air conditioning units to evacuation centres, while long lines formed for fuel and drinking water across affected communities.
Japan, one of the world's most earthquake-prone nations, sits along the Pacific "Ring of Fire" and experiences hundreds of earthquakes every year.
