Kumamoto Quake Death Toll Rises to 18; Searches Continue

Kumamoto, July 30 (Jiji Press)–The death toll from Tuesday’s powerful earthquake in Kumamoto Prefecture, southwestern Japan, reached 18 on Thursday morning, while searches continued for people whose whereabouts are unknown. As of 11 a.m., 18 were confirmed dead after the quake with an estimated magnitude of 7.1, while six others were in a state of cardiac arrest and five were in serious condition, according to the prefectural disaster response headquarters. The headquarters are still working to confirm the extent of damage from the temblor, which registered a seismic intensity of up to 7, the highest level on Japan’s scale. Casualties totaled 86, according to the headquarters. At a press conference in Tokyo, Chief Cabinet Secretary Minoru Kihara said that the central government recognizes 28 deaths, including those still being investigated for possible links to the disaster. At retail giant Aeon Co.’s Aeon Mall Kumamoto shopping facility in the Kumamoto town of Kashima, where an explosion caused a partial collapse of its second floor, 12 people were rescued. Of them, six were later confirmed dead, and one remained in cardiopulmonary arrest. At Nippon Paper Industries Co.’s plant in the city of Yatsushiro, where a chimney collapsed following the quake, 10 people were rescued, and eight of them were confirmed dead. Search operations continued for a person who is believed to be trapped in the facility. Authorities have confirmed destroyed houses and damaged bridges in severely affected areas, but the full extent of the damage remains unknown. As of 7:30 a.m. Thursday, 10,467 people were taking shelter at 415 evacuation centers. Essential utility services remained disrupted. Power outages were affecting some 22,950 households in the prefecture, while running water was unavailable at 74,800 or more households in municipalities including Uki, Uto, Yatsushiro and Hikawa. As medical facilities also have been affected, disaster medical assistance team, or DMAT, members have been dispatched to the prefecture and have started support activities. In 2016, Kumamoto was hit by two massive quakes each registering the maximum seismic intensity of 7 within the space of just 28 hours. The Japan Meteorological Agency has warned that another quake with the maximum intensity of around 7 may strike within about one week from Tuesday’s disaster. END [Copyright The Jiji Press, Ltd.]