Skip to content

In Pictures: Buildings damaged after powerful earthquake hits south-west Japan

News imageEPA The exterior wall of a restaurant collapsed following the earthquake in Kumamoto City, southwestern JapanEPA
The powerful earthquake struck inland in Kumamoto prefecture

A magnitude 7.1 earthquake struck south-west Japan on Tuesday, trapping some people under rubble, and forcing some 300,000 people to evacuate.

The quake hit Kyushu island at 16:27 local time (07:27 GMT) and after shocks have continued to rumble.

At a large and popular shopping mall in the Kumamoto prefecture, the second floor collapsed, trapping people inside the centre.

News imageReuters An aerial view shows the damaged Aeon Mall shopping centre after an earthquake with a preliminary magnitude of 7.1 struck Japan's southern Kumamoto prefecture. Reuters
The fire department said that people were trapped in the Aeon Mall, with local media reporting there was also an explosion
News imageReuters Part of a bridge collapsed into the waterReuters
In the city of Yatsushiro, part of a traffic bridge collapsed into a river
News imageReuters A damaged fallen signboard outside a Saizeriya restaurant after an earthquake with a preliminary magnitude of 7.1 struck Japan's southern Kumamoto prefecture.Reuters
Businesses and homes across Kumamoto prefecture have been damaged

Footage aired by national broadcaster NHK showed cracked roads and bridges and several buildings on fire.

Japan, which sits on the Pacific Ring of Fire, is one of the world's most earthquake-prone countries. It experiences about 1,500 quakes a year.

News imageEPA/ shutterstock People sitting on astroturf, mostly playing on their phones.EPA/ shutterstock
After the initial earthquake, people gathered in open spaces in case there was another strong shake

Chief Cabinet Secretary Minoru Kihara has confirmed emergency responders had been deployed, and urged people to stay calm.

"We urge residents in areas where the shaking was particularly severe to pay close attention to evacuation information issued by local authorities via radio, television and the internet," he said.

News imageReuters A collapsed part of Kumamoto Castle's stone walls after an earthquake with a preliminary magnitude of 7.1 struck Japan's southern Kumamoto prefecture, in Kumamoto, JapanReuters
Kumamoto Castle, which was reconstructed in 1960, has been damaged for the second time - it was also damaged by a strong earthquake in 2016