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Japan earthquake death toll rises to 30 as thousands remain displaced in Kumamoto

By The South Asia Times

TOKYO — The death toll from the powerful earthquake that struck Japan's southwestern Kumamoto Prefecture earlier this week has risen to 30, including suspected disaster-related deaths, Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi said Thursday, according to Kyodo News.

The Kumamoto prefectural government has so far confirmed 18 deaths, including eight at a Nippon Paper Industries plant in Yatsushiro and six at an Aeon shopping mall in Kashima, where an explosion occurred after Tuesday's magnitude 7.1 earthquake. Officials said one person previously reported missing at the paper plant has been found, though the individual's condition was not immediately known.

More than 10,000 people remained in evacuation centers as of Thursday morning, while about 23,000 households were without electricity and 75,000 households lacked running water, raising concerns over humanitarian conditions.

Rail services also remained disrupted, with operators unable to resume bullet train operations on parts of the Kyushu Shinkansen line due to infrastructure damage.

The earthquake struck on Tuesday, registering the maximum intensity of 7 on Japan's seismic scale in parts of Kumamoto, one of the strongest levels of ground shaking recorded by the Japan Meteorological Agency.