Widespread damage from magnitude 7.1 earthquake in south-west Japan

BBC:

Several people are trapped inside a shopping centre after a strong earthquake hit south-west Japan, officials say.

Local media reports that there was an explosion at the Aeon Mall in Kumamoto prefecture, following the magnitude 7.1 earthquake.

The quake hit inland on Kyushu island at 16:27 local time (07:27 GMT), with about 300,000 people being told to move to evacuation shelters. There was a brief tsunami warning that was lifted within the hour.

Emergency services said “many people” were trapped inside the Aeon Mall in the Kumamoto prefecture.

In the town of Kashima, “a shopping complex’s second floor collapsed, leaving many people trapped inside,” the fire department said in a statement.

Japan is one of the world’s most earthquake-prone countries, experiencing about 1,500 quakes a year.

The meteorological agency has warned of strong aftershocks given the shallow epicentre – 10km (six miles). Footage aired by national broadcaster NHK shows cracked roads and bridges and several buildings on fire.

The quake’s epicentre was about 20km (12 miles) south of Kumamoto, which is Kyushu island’s largest city with a population of about 700,000.

“We are still assessing the extent of injuries and property damage, but I have been informed that there have already been several injuries,” Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi said on Tuesday.

Footage of the shopping centre shows white smoke rising from the building, as people run into the carpark. Large parts of the mall’s exterior have been blown off, exposing the steel beams underneath.

Aeon Mall is a popular nationwide chain that operates about 160 centres across Japan. It holds department stores, boutiques, pharmacies and food courts.

Dozens of people were injured during the earthquake – about 10 were in an elderly care home and at least 50 people are being treated in hospital, NHK reported.

An 89-year-old man living in the city of Uki told NewsJP that the earthquake “shook violently up-and-down and side-to-side for about 10 to 20 seconds.”

Train services have been suspended and electricity has been cut off for thousands of homes.

Chief Cabinet Secretary Minoru Kihara said first responders had been deployed, including Japan’s self-defence force, fire services and coast guard.