Residents of Japan’s southwestern prefecture of Kumamoto were struggling to get their lives back to normal on Thursday, two days after a powerful 7.1 magnitude earthquake set off an explosion at a mall, toppled a factory chimney and flattened homes, killing at least 30 people in the process, as search and rescue efforts continue.
Time was running out to find survivors, as rescuers continued to work in Kumamoto on Japan ’s southern main island of Kyushu, where the powerful tremor hit on Tuesday.
The number of those missing was unclear. The quake left at least 63 people injured, five of them seriously, according to representatives of Kumamoto’s prefectural government.
Survivors spoke about coming home and desperately pulling family members out of the wreckage. Some had suffered injuries and were rushed to the hospital.
Thousands of people spent another night at evacuation centres set up throughout the area in gymnasiums and other big spaces. Some homes were still without water or electricity, while others were simply afraid to go back.
