Death Toll from Japan Earthquake Rises to 30 as Rescue Efforts Continue

The death toll from the 6.8 magnitude earthquake in Kumamoto, Japan, has risen to 30. Rescuers search for survivors as extreme heat threatens displaced residents

Desk Report

Jul 30, 2026, 05:49 AM1 min read

Death Toll from Japan Earthquake Rises to 30 as Rescue Efforts Continue

rescue undergoing / Collected

The death toll from the powerful earthquake that struck southwestern Japan has risen to 30, with rescue teams continuing to search for survivors in the devastated Kumamoto Prefecture on Kyushu island.

The magnitude 6.8 earthquake struck on Tuesday, causing widespread destruction to homes, power infrastructure and public buildings. According to BBC, several people were killed after part of an Aeon shopping mall collapsed, while a powerful explosion believed to have been caused by a gas leak—rocked the complex about an hour after the initial quake.

More than 9,000 displaced residents are sheltering in evacuation centres, while over 30,000 households remained without electricity as of Wednesday. Authorities have also recorded more than 100 aftershocks, prompting many residents to spend nights in their vehicles for fear of further tremors.

Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi said rescue operations remain a top priority as thousands of emergency personnel continue searching through collapsed buildings, including the heavily damaged Aeon shopping mall and a partially collapsed Nippon Paper factory in Yatsushiro city, where at least five people have died.

With temperatures forecast to reach 39°C in the coming days, officials have urged both survivors and rescue workers to take precautions against heatstroke. Japan's Defence Minister Shinjiro Koizumi announced the deployment of 300 air conditioners to Kumamoto, half of which will be installed at evacuation centres to help protect displaced residents.

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