The fire department in Japan's Kashima town have released a statement confirming a shopping complex's second floor collapsed, "leaving many people trapped inside", following an earthquake on Tuesday afternoon.
According to preliminary measurements, a 7.1-magnitude earthquake struck Kumamoto prefecture in southern Japan, the Japan Meteorological Agency (JMA) reported.
The agency said the quake began on the seabed off the coast of Kumamoto at a depth of about ten kilometres, triggering a tsunami warning that was lifted shortly afterwards. Around 50 people were taken to hospital. There were no immediate reports of damage.
Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi urged the public on the X social media platform to stay away from the coast. She said the government had set up a taskforce to gather information, assess any potential damage and, if necessary, prepare rescue operations.
The Japanese government had earlier issued warnings for the affected areas, including the prefectures of Kumamoto, Nagasaki, Kagoshima, Fukuoka, Saga, Oita and Miyazaki on the island of Kyushu. Authorities urged around 150,000 people to seek refuge in shelters specifically designated for earthquakes.
