Death Toll Rises to 38 Following Powerful Earthquake in Japan's Kumamoto Prefecture

The death toll from the magnitude 7.1 earthquake in Japan's Kumamoto prefecture has risen to 38, with rescue operations continuing and thousands remaining in evacuation shelters.

Key points

• An elderly woman sheltering in a car died of heatstroke amid extreme temperatures, raising concerns over heat-related illnesses.
• Search and rescue operations continue at sites including a collapsed smokestack at a Nippon Paper factory and an explosion-affected Aeon Mall.
• Over 9,400 people are staying across 406 evacuation shelters in Kumamoto prefecture.
• The disaster left approximately 79,700 households without water and around 19,000 households without electricity.

Why it matters

The disaster highlights severe humanitarian challenges as victims face extreme heat while sheltering, alongside widespread infrastructure disruptions affecting water and power supplies.