Magnitude 7.1 quake hits Kumamoto, injures 50

A powerful earthquake struck southwestern Japan on Tuesday, July 28, 2026, causing significant damage, multiple injuries, and leaving many people trapped in a collapsed shopping mall. The tremor, which hit at 4:27 p.m. local time, had a preliminary magnitude of 7.1 and was centered near the city of Uki in Kumamoto Prefecture on the island of Kyushu at a shallow depth of 10 kilometers.

The quake registered the highest possible intensity, level seven, on Japan's Shindo scale, indicating extremely violent shaking. The Japan Meteorological Agency initially issued a tsunami warning for waves of up to one meter for parts of the Kyushu coastline, specifically for the Ariake and Yatsushiro seas, but later lifted the alert after no tsunami activity was observed. Authorities had urged coastal residents to evacuate to higher ground.

The most severe damage reported was at the Aeon shopping mall in Kashima Town, where the second floor collapsed. Emergency services stated that many people were trapped inside the damaged structure. Police received reports of what sounded like an explosion at the mall following the quake. One hospital in Yatsushiro city accepted about 40 injured people, while...