Japan Earthquake Death Toll Rises to 34 as Evacuees Face Extreme Heat in Kumamoto

The death toll from the powerful earthquake that struck southwestern Japan has risen to 34, authorities in Kumamoto Prefecture confirmed on Thursday, as rescue efforts continue amid soaring temperatures.

The magnitude 6.8 earthquake hit Kumamoto Prefecture on Kyushu Island on Tuesday, leaving a trail of destruction. Homes, power infrastructure and commercial buildings sustained extensive damage, while emergency teams continue searching for survivors trapped beneath the rubble.

Among the dead were several people killed when part of an Aeon shopping mall collapsed. An explosion, believed to have been caused by a gas leak, ripped through the mall about an hour after the initial quake, although investigators are still working to determine the exact cause.

As rescue operations intensify, thousands of displaced residents are facing another challenge—extreme heat. Weather forecasts indicate temperatures in Kumamoto could climb as high as 39°C in the coming days, prompting authorities to warn both survivors and emergency workers about the risk of heatstroke.

To ease conditions in evacuation centres, Japan’s Defence Minister, Shinjiro Koizumi, announced the deployment of 300 air-conditioning units, with half destined for shelters housing displaced residents.

Approximately 9,000 people are currently staying in evacuation centres, while more than 30,000 households remained without electricity as of Wednesday.

Yukiya Sanoue, who works at one of the evacuation centres sheltering around 1,000 people, told the BBC that preventing heatstroke had become the facility’s biggest concern. Nearly one-third of those taking refuge there are elderly.

He said the centre had been without electricity, running water and air conditioning until a generator arrived on Wednesday afternoon.

“Quite a few people are suffering from conditions similar to heatstroke, and several have been taken to hospital,” he said.

Since the initial earthquake, authorities have recorded more than 100 aftershocks, forcing many residents to spend nights sleeping in their vehicles for fear of further tremors.

Thousands of rescue personnel remain deployed across the disaster zone. Search teams continue combing through the damaged Aeon shopping centre in Kashima, one of the worst-hit locations where part of the second floor collapsed.

The mall’s president said it was “very likely” that the subsequent explosion was caused by leaking gas, though investigations remain ongoing.

In a rare moment of relief, a cat café inside the shopping complex confirmed that all 25 cats left behind during the chaos were safely rescued.

The Aeon mall had only reopened last month following extensive renovations after suffering damage during the devastating 2016 Kumamoto earthquakes, which claimed 278 lives.

Elsewhere, rescuers are searching the partially collapsed Nippon Paper factory in Yatsushiro City, where at least five people have died. Of the 11 workers initially trapped inside, seven have been rescued, according to the company.

The earthquake, which struck at a shallow depth of 10 kilometres, was felt widely across Kumamoto Prefecture.

Hiroko Ogata, a 75-year-old restaurant owner in Yatsushiro, recalled taking cover beneath a table as the violent shaking struck.

“I have lived here for 75 years, but I have never experienced such a big quake,” she said. “I thought I would die.”