A rescue operation is underway in Japan, after a deadly earthquake struck the country's Kyushu island. Many people were trapped inside a shopping centre that collapsed when the earthquake hit. Residents are being warned to expect aftershocks to continue for a week.
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TRANSCRIPT
People were still at work or out shopping when a 6.8-magnitude earthquake struck southern Japan at 4.27 pm [[local time]].
Buildings shook, furniture collapsing as people started running.
The epicentre was in Kumamoto prefecture, hitting at a relatively shallow depth of about 10 kilometres, and prompting intense shaking across the island of Kyushu rippling to nearby prefectures of Nagasaki, Kagoshima, Fukuoka, Saga and Miyazaki.
Multiple aftershocks followed - including one with a magnitude of 6.1.
Video footage shows collapsed buildings, swaying traffic lights and buckled roads.
Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi says the number of casualties and the extent of the damage is still being assessed.
" We have already confirmed extensive damage, including casualties, collapsed buildings, damaged roads and fires. I would like to extend my deepest sympathies to all those affected by the disaster.”
The Japanese military has mobilised 3,600 personnel for disaster relief operations and deployed 20 aircraft to assess the damage from the air.
Two hospitals reported receiving at least 50 injured people each - with water leaks and electrical system failures impeding the efforts of staff to treat patients.
This survivor says at first he didn't realise what was happening.
"It was really something. It didn’t fall down piece by piece, it came crashing down all at once. It really shocked me.”
He says he is still in shock.
"How can I put it? I felt as if my body was hovering mid-air, so for a moment I didn’t realise it was an earthquake. It was only when I saw the wall collapse that it dawned on me that it was an earthquake.”
The Fire and Disaster Management Agency says at least five people are dead, including two people in a badly damaged shopping centre, the Aeon Mall.
The agency reported many people were trapped when the building collapsed.
An explosion was reported some 30 minutes after people were first evacuated from the shopping centre, with the cause under investigation.
A government official has told Kyodo news agency, at this stage, it's believed a gas leak is the likely cause.
A tsunami warning was issued and then later lifted.
Japan’s Nuclear Regulation Authority reported that no immediate abnormalities have been recorded at three nearby nuclear power plants - and they are functioning normally.
Kyushu Electric Power says about 45,000 homes and businesses have been left without power.
Around 300,000 people have been told to take shelter in evacuation centres.
Prime Minister Takaichi says the risk of aftershocks is expected to continue for the next week.
"To those in areas that experienced strong shaking, the risk of building collapses and landslides remains high. Please avoid entering dangerous areas and take all precautions to ensure your safety. Over the next week or so, please remain alert for the possibility of earthquakes with a maximum seismic intensity of 7.”
Residents in Kumamoto can still recall the last deadly earthquakes from a decade ago, which killed 275 people and injured 2,739 others.
The country's location on the Pacific Ring of Fire means it is prone to earthquakes, around 1,500 per year - although not all are deadly.
This person was walking by the centuries-old Kumamoto Castle when parts of the stone wall structure crumbled.
He says he is thankful to be alive.
"The wall started to crumble a bit, quite a lot of stuff was falling from above.”
Ms Takaichi says residents should be aware of the risk of a number of ongoing hazards including landslides - and also heatstroke.
"Power outages have occurred in some areas. I ask everyone to take action to protect themselves, including evacuating to a safe location, while also taking precautions against heatstroke. The Takaichi administration will do our utmost. We will respond with the full force of the government, prioritising human lives above all else.”
