Earthquake

A powerful 7.1-magnitude earthquake struck Japan's southern Kumamoto prefecture on Tuesday, cutting power to thousands of homes, damaging infrastructure, and injuring at least 50 people.
Speaking to journalists in Tokyo, Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi said authorities were still assessing the full extent of the casualties and damage caused by the earthquake, News.Az reports, citing Reuters."We have already been informed that people have been injured," Takaichi said. "Power outages and fires have occurred in some areas, and there has also been damage to roads and bridges and the collapse of buildings."Public broadcaster NHK reported that one hospital alone had treated more than 50 injured people, while the Nikkei newspaper said several passengers aboard a high-speed train at the time of the quake were also hurt.The earthquake caused significant structural damage, including at an Aeon shopping mall, where NHK reported an explosion. Footage aired by the broadcaster showed other buildings on fire or partially collapsed. An Aeon spokesperson said the company was still gathering information and had no immediate comment.Large cracks appeared on major roads, including an elevated highway, while a freight train derailed, according to NHK. Rail services were suspended and flights were grounded following the quake.Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company (TSMC), the world's largest contract chipmaker, evacuated workers from its plant in the affected area as a precaution, a company spokesperson said. Nikkei also reported that Sony and Fujifilm evacuated employees from their local facilities, while a Sony spokesperson said the company was assessing the situation.Japan's disaster management agency said more than 150,000 people had been instructed to evacuate to emergency shelters.An official from the Japan Meteorological Agency (JMA) warned residents in the hardest-hit areas to remain alert for additional strong earthquakes over the coming week, as well as the risk of landslides.Japan is among the world's most earthquake-prone countries, experiencing a tremor at least every five minutes on average. Situated along the Pacific "Ring of Fire," the country accounts for around 20% of the world's earthquakes with magnitudes of 6.0 or higher.The Japanese government issued emergency earthquake warnings for the prefectures of Kumamoto, Nagasaki, Kagoshima, Fukuoka, Saga, Oita, and Miyazaki on the southern island of Kyushu. The JMA also issued a tsunami warning for waves of up to 1 meter (3.28 feet), but later lifted the alert.Kyushu Electric Power said approximately 40,000 households lost electricity because of the earthquake. Railway operator JR Kyushu suspended train services, including its high-speed bullet trains, while Kumamoto Airport closed its runway, forcing airlines to divert and cancel flights.Telecommunications providers KDDI and Docomo reported disruptions to their mobile phone services caused by power outages and transmission-line failures.Japan's Nuclear Regulation Authority said no abnormalities had been detected at nuclear power plants in the affected region.A devastating earthquake that struck Kumamoto a decade ago killed 275 people, injured another 2,739, and damaged thousands of buildings, including the city's historic castle, according to official figures.Tuesday's earthquake also caused parts of the stone walls surrounding Kumamoto Castle to collapse, an official at the castle's administration office said.