Kumamoto - Rescue operations continued across Kumamoto Prefecture more than 24 hours after a powerful earthquake registered the maximum seismic intensity of 7, leaving 12 people dead, six in cardiac arrest and three Aeon Mall Kumamoto employees still unaccounted for.
Emergency crews were working at around 10:30 a.m. on July 29 to search a collapsed home in Hikawa, Kumamoto Prefecture, where the strongest intensity of 7 was recorded.
A married couple who lived in the house were found, but the elderly husband was confirmed dead.
The Kumamoto prefectural government said 12 people had died as a result of the earthquake, while six others were in cardiac arrest.
At Aeon Mall Kumamoto, where an explosion occurred shortly after the earthquake, three people were confirmed dead and another was found in cardiac arrest. The safety of three employees remained unknown.
More than a day after the earthquake, the extent of the damage was becoming clearer across the region, with collapsed buildings, heavily damaged roads, disrupted utilities and residents struggling through extreme summer heat.
Yatsushiro Castle Ruins, a local landmark in Yatsushiro, where the earthquake registered an intensity of upper 6, sustained extensive damage.
A prominent structure at the site had collapsed so severely that only its roof remained visible. A large crack could also be seen on the right side of the roof.
A person responsible for managing the site said the building did not collapse straight downward but appeared to slide sharply sideways before falling.
The structure was built 93 years ago and suffered almost no damage during the 2016 Kumamoto earthquakes.
No other major damage was reported in the immediate surrounding area, although some residents had evacuated while others remained in their homes.
Elsewhere in Yatsushiro, the first floor of a three-story building that had housed a traditional Japanese confectionery shop was completely crushed.
In another location, a collapsed home blocked one lane of a road.
Deep cracks opened across roads in Uki, Kumamoto Prefecture, which also recorded the maximum intensity of 7. Drivers slowed as they passed through damaged sections, while one vehicle became caught in a crack and overturned.
Numerous homes collapsed in Yatsushiro, temporarily trapping residents inside.
A woman who had been in one damaged building said two people were trapped in a neighboring collapsed structure after the earthquake.
"There were two people inside. I could hear both of their voices," she said. "They were shouting, 'Help us' and 'Call an ambulance.'"
One of those trapped was a man who had been at home with his wife when the building collapsed.
"I tried to escape, but I was in a position where I could not move," the man said. "Pieces of the walls kept falling little by little, and I had no idea what was happening. For a moment, I thought this might be the end. But when the shaking stopped, I could see light from outside and thought we might be able to get out through there. I let my wife go first."
The couple escaped without assistance through a gap in the collapsed building and suffered only minor scratches.
Residents also faced severe disruption to electricity and water supplies.
A woman in Yatsushiro said nothing happened when she tried to turn on the lights.
"What we need most is electricity," she said. "It is so hot, and I am most worried about heatstroke."
Another Yatsushiro resident demonstrated that no water was coming from her tap.
With electricity and water still unavailable in some areas, an evacuation center in Yatsushiro distributed water under a limit of two liters per person.
"On the night of July 28, I went to vending machines to buy something, but all the tea and water were sold out," one woman said. "There was nothing, and the stores were closed. This really helps us."
Temperatures exceeded 35 degrees Celsius in Kumamoto Prefecture again on July 29, adding to the risks facing residents in evacuation centers, damaged homes and vehicles.
Kyushu Electric Power said that as of 5 p.m., around 32,110 households in Kumamoto Prefecture, including homes in Yatsushiro and Uki, were without electricity.
Water supplies were also cut to approximately 84,000 households across 11 municipalities in the prefecture.
At a gas station in Yatsushiro, more than 30 vehicles formed a long line.
"It was hot on the night of July 28, so I slept in my car," one man said. "Then I started running out of gasoline. I am worried about what will happen tonight."
Damage was also reported at Kumamoto Castle in Kumamoto's Chuo Ward.
The city government said sections of stone wall had collapsed at 28 locations within the castle grounds.
A man in his 70s who had been walking near Ninomaru Square said the shaking brought back the fear he experienced during the 2016 Kumamoto earthquakes.
"Please, no more," he said.
Restoration work had been underway at the Uto Turret, which was damaged in 2016. The structure is currently enclosed on all four sides and across the top by a temporary protective roof designed to shield its construction materials and components.
