Kumamoto Earthquake, Japan: More Than 100 Aftershocks Rattle The Country Since Tuesday

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By Gopal Ram Tripathi

A POWERFUL EARTHQUAKE has struck southern Japan, killing at least 13 people and leaving the region shaking under a wave of aftershocks. The quake hit Kumamoto Prefecture on the island of Kyushu on Tuesday afternoon, and since then, the ground has not stopped trembling. Officials say more than 100 small aftershocks have followed the main quake, and experts warn that more strong shaking could come in the days ahead.

Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi confirmed the death toll on Wednesday and said rescue teams were racing against time to find people who are still trapped. She described the situation as urgent, with many people still waiting to be pulled from damaged buildings.

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When Did The Earthquake Struck Japan

The earthquake struck at around 4:30pm local time on Tuesday, July 28, 2026. Japan's Meteorological Agency measured it at magnitude 7.1, while the US Geological Survey later gave a slightly lower reading of 6.8. Either way, it was strong enough to reach shindo 7, the highest level on Japan's seismic intensity scale, in some areas close to the epicenter.

The quake caused serious damage across the region. Roughly 48,000 households lost power, roads and bridges were damaged, and a freight train derailed near Yatsushiro Station. Kumamoto Airport had to shut its runway, and train operator JR Kyushu suspended several services, including its high-speed trains.

The worst incident happened at the Aeon Mall in Kashima Town. An explosion tore through the building shortly after the quake, causing its second floor to collapse. Dozens of workers were reported missing right after the blast, and rescue crews have been searching through the rubble ever since. Two women in their twenties were later found dead inside the mall. Separately, at a paper factory in Yatsushiro City, a chimney came crashing down and buried workers under debris, with several people still unaccounted for.

Around 300,000 people have been told to move to evacuation centres as authorities continue checking buildings for safety. Hospitals in the area have treated large numbers of injured people, with one hospital alone receiving more than 50 patients.

See Also: Earthquake strikes Japan, 5.9 magnitude on Richter scale

Aftershocks Are a Serious Threat For Kumamoto Prefecture

Aftershocks are smaller earthquakes that follow a big one, caused by the ground settling after the main shock. In this case, Japan's Meteorological Agency says the pattern of continuous shaking looks similar to the destructive earthquakes that hit the same region back in April 2016, which killed 273 people in Kumamoto Prefecture.

Officials have urged residents to stay alert for further strong quakes, especially over the next two to three days, but say the risk will remain high for about a week. This is because the earthquake happened on shallow ground close to the surface, which tends to trigger many more aftershocks than a deeper quake would. There is also a higher chance of landslides in areas that were badly shaken, adding another danger for people living nearby.

Big companies have also felt the impact. Toyota said it would pause work at three factories in southern Japan, while Honda extended the shutdown of its motorcycle plant in Kumamoto so repairs could be carried out. Chipmaker TSMC and companies like Sony and Fujifilm moved workers out of their local plants as a safety measure, though TSMC later said its facility was not damaged and had resumed operations.

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