Japan Earthquake

Heavy machinery removes debris at AEON Mall, which was damaged by an explosion following an earthquake, in Kashima, Kumamoto Prefecture, southern Japan, Friday, July 31, 2026.

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Quake survivors in southwestern Japan sleep in cars in sweltering heat as death toll rises to 34

Quake survivors in southwestern Japan sleep in cars in sweltering heat as death toll rises to 34

Thousands of survivors of a powerful earthquake in southwestern Japan have spent Friday in crowded shelters or slept in cars as they faced shortages of water, electricity and fuel and punishing summer temperatures that stoked fears of heat-related illness. The death toll rose to 34, the Kumamoto prefectural government said, as rescuers raced to find those still missing after the quake triggered a mall explosion, toppled a factory chimney and flattened homes. As of Friday, search operations continue, but the number of missing remains unknown. More than 79,000 homes are without water and over 800 without electricity.