Japan quake death toll rises to 34 as rescue window nears end
The death toll from the magnitude 7.1 earthquake that struck Japan's Kumamoto Prefecture has climbed to 34, local authorities said Thursday, as rescue teams raced against time with the critical 72‑hour window for finding survivors set to expire Friday afternoon, Qazinform News Agency learned from Kyodo.
Eight workers were killed at a Nippon Paper Industries plant in Yatsushiro, while seven died following an explosion at an Aeon shopping mall in Kashima. Excluding those incidents, officials confirmed 10 deaths and said nine more may be linked to the quake.
Police, firefighters and Self‑Defense Forces personnel continued combing through rubble, while more than 9,000 evacuees stayed in shelters in Kumamoto. As of 2 p.m. Thursday, about 80,000 households remained without running water.
Around 14,000 households were without electricity as of Thursday evening.
High temperatures have raised fears of heatstroke among evacuees, many of whom lack air conditioning.
People gathered around water trucks to receive water while others formed long lines to fill their cars at gas stations.
Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi is expected to visit Kumamoto as early as Monday to oversee relief efforts.
The Japan Meteorological Agency noted that quakes of this intensity make it impossible to stand or walk without crawling, with people often thrown through the air.
Earlier, it was reported that Japan's Imperial couple expressed sympathy for affected people staying in shelters and appreciation for those involved in rescue and emergency recovery efforts.
