Japan Earthquake Death Toll Climbs to 13, Search Continues for Trapped Survivors

Since the magnitude 7.1 earthquake hit the Kumamoto area of Kyushu late Tuesday afternoon, the confirmed death toll has climbed to 13, according to Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi. Rescue crews were still working through Wednesday morning local time to reach people believed trapped.

"There are people who are still waiting to be rescued, and it's a race against time," Takaichi said, according to the Associated Press. She offered condolences to victims' families and urged residents in the affected areas to take care of themselves given the hot weather during ongoing rescue operations.

Where the Search Is Concentrated

Two sites are drawing the most attention from rescue teams. The Aeon Mall in Kashima Town saw its second floor collapse in the quake, trapping shoppers and staff, according to the fire department in Kumamoto, the prefectural capital. Prefectural officials are separately investigating a reported explosion at the site, believed linked to a gas leak.

At Nippon Paper Industries Co.'s factory in Yatsushiro, a chimney collapsed and trapped workers under the debris, according to the Kumamoto emergency team. As of Wednesday, seven people were still feared trapped there. Two survivors and two bodies had been pulled from that site so far.

Japan's Self-Defense Forces have joined civilian rescue workers at both locations, helping deliver water and move injured patients to hospitals, Takaichi said. The government is also arranging food and other supplies for the hard-hit areas.

Casualties and Infrastructure Damage

Kyodo News reported that a hospital in Yatsushiro admitted roughly 40 injured people, while about 50 more were taken to a hospital in Kumamoto city. The quake also derailed a train, which fell on its side at Yatsushiro station, and damaged stone walls at Kumamoto Castle, a tourist landmark still under repair from the deadly 2016 Kumamoto earthquake that killed at least 50 people.

Hiroki Shimoda, an official at Mifune town hall, told the Associated Press the shaking brought back memories of that 2016 disaster. "The shaking reminded me of the Kumamoto quake and I was frightened," he said, describing roof tiles crashing off nearby homes.

The quake struck an area about 900 kilometers (540 miles) southwest of Tokyo. Aso Kumamoto Airport closed its runway, with no timeline given for when flights would resume. Several major manufacturers in Kyushu suspended operations Tuesday as a precaution but reported no major damage and expected to resume work Wednesday.

Nuclear Safety and Aftershock Risk

Japan's Nuclear Regulation Authority said it found no abnormalities at three nearby nuclear power plants following the quake. Kyushu is home to active nuclear facilities, and the country has been sensitive to nuclear safety since the 2011 Fukushima disaster.

Shinji Kiyomoto of the Japan Meteorological Agency warned residents to remain cautious over the next two to three days because of the risk of aftershocks. Rescue and recovery work continues to operate under elevated risk.

What Comes Next

The immediate question is how many of the people still listed as missing at the Aeon Mall and the Nippon Paper factory will be found alive. Rescue crews were racing against time as of Wednesday morning, with the outcome at both sites still unresolved.

Prefectural officials are investigating the reported explosion at the Aeon Mall for a possible gas leak. No findings have been announced yet.

Aftershock risk remains elevated through at least Friday or Saturday, per the Japan Meteorological Agency's two-to-three-day warning window. Further structural damage or new casualties in already-weakened buildings, including the still-under-repair Kumamoto Castle, cannot be ruled out.