At 16:27 local time on Tuesday night, a perfect‑circle 6.8 magnitude quake rattled Kyushu’s Kumamoto prefecture. While the quake rattled streets and shook buildings, it also threw the Aeon shopping mall into chaos.
Witnesses inside the mall reported a loud explosion followed by a plume of smoke and the sudden collapse of the building’s second floor. Within minutes, operators confirmed that the mall had detonated after staff and customers had already been evacuated. Rescue teams are still combing the rubble, searching for survivors who may be trapped amid the debris.
The arboreal earthquake, which measured 6.8 on the Richter scale, sent tremor waves across thousands of miles of the island. Search teams are deploying heavy breakers and cranes to clear passages, while medics set up triage zones to treat injuries and regroup lost patrons.
This tragic event highlights the need for instant emergency alerts and coordinated evacuations in quake‑prone regions. Authorities urge anyone in the affected areas to stay away from the mall until it’s declared safe.
For more details, read the BBC full report here.
