At least seven people died after a powerful earthquake hit southern Japan on 16 April, following another one that had struck the region earlier, an official said as rescuers desperately searched for victims trapped under the rubble.
Takayuki Matsushita, an official with Kumamoto prefecture on the quake-hit southern island of Kyushu, said seven were confirmed dead, citing police and fire departments.
A magnitude 7.3 earthquake struck southern Japan early on Saturday, killing at least one person, injuring many more and bringing down buildings, local media reported, just over a day after a quake killed nine people in the same region.
The authorities warned of damage over a wide area, as reports came in of people being trapped in collapsed buildings, fires and power outages.
Residents living near a dam were told to leave because of fears it might crumble, broadcaster NHK said.
Saturday’s tremblor triggered a tsunami advisory, although it was later lifted and no irregularities were reported at three nuclear power plants in the area, a senior government official said.
People still reeling from Thursday’s shock poured onto the streets after the Saturday quake.
NHK reported that nearly 400 people were being treated in hospitals, but that figure included “people who don’t feel well”, so it was not clear how many serious injuries there were.
Media reported fresh damage, including collapsed buildings and roads. A fire erupted in a what appeared to be an apartment building in Yatsushiro city, while some people were trapped in a nursing home in the town of Mashiki, according to NHK.
The epicentre of the quake was near the city of Kumamoto and measured at a shallow depth of 10 km, the U.S. Geological Survey said. The entire city of 730,000 was without power.
Prime Minister Shinzo Abe, arriving at his office, told reporters the government was making every effort to determine the extent of the damage, carry out rescue and recovery, and to get accurate information to citizens.
“It’s possible that there may be damage over a wide area,” Abe said.
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