Kyushu Quake Triggers 100+ Aftershocks as Rescue Teams Race to Save Survivors

A powerful earthquake struck Kumamoto in Japan’s Kyushu region, triggering more than 100 aftershocks and leaving at least 13 people dead. Rescuers are digging through rubble at sites including a paper factory and the Aeon Mall in Kashima, where an explosion occurred; authorities warn of further strong quakes for days as thousands seek shelter, heat complicates cleanup, and power outages persist. The quake measured magnitude 7.1 by the JMA (USGS places it at 6.8) with a shallow 10 km epicenter about 20 km south of Kumamoto city; more than 4,600 personnel are involved in rescue, and aid such as air conditioning units is being distributed to the worst-hit areas.