Death toll from Japan earthquake rises to 35
The death toll from the powerful earthquake that struck Japan’s Kumamoto Prefecture has risen to 35, according to local officials.
The prefectural government announced the updated toll on Friday local time after additionals victims were confirmed at the Nippon Paper Industries plant in Yatsushiro.
Eleven people were trapped at the paper mill after a large chimney and other structures collapsed during the earthquake.
At Aeon Mall Kumamoto in Kashima, 12 people were rescued after an explosion tore through part of the building following the earthquake. Seven of them died and five suffered minor injuries.
The mall’s operator said all employees had been accounted for. The cause of the explosion remains under investigation.
Ten other deaths were confirmed across the prefecture, including four in Hikawa, three elsewhere in Yatsushiro, two in Uki and one in Kosa. Authorities are investigating whether nine additional deaths were caused by the disaster.
At least 120 people were injured, including six who are in serious condition.
The earthquake struck at 4:27 p.m. Tuesday and reached the highest level of 7 on Japan’s seismic intensity scale in Uki and Hikawa. The Japan Meteorological Agency estimated its magnitude at 7.1, while the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) measured it at 6.8.
Homes and other buildings collapsed across the region, while roads, bridges, rail lines and water systems suffered extensive damage. Kumamoto Castle, one of Japan’s best-known historic landmarks, also sustained damage.
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Ella Rae Greene, Editor In Chief
