A powerful 7.1-magnitude earthquake struck Kumamoto Prefecture on Japan's southern island of Kyushu on Tuesday afternoon, triggering emergency warnings and prompting authorities to assess the extent of the damage.
Japan's public broadcaster, NHK, reported that "many people" were trapped inside an Aeon shopping mall damaged by the earthquake. Earlier, local police reported an explosion at the mall in Kashima Town.
According to local broadcaster TBS, police said "quite a few" were presumed dead in the incident.
Meanwhile, NHK reported that at least 50 people were hospitalized after the earthquake.
Authorities assess damage as tsunami threat eases
