KUMAMOTO, JAPAN — Rescue teams continued an intensive search operation across southern Japan on Wednesday after a powerful 7.1-magnitude earthquake struck Kumamoto Prefecture, leaving at least 13 people dead, dozens injured and several others missing. One of the most devastating incidents occurred at an Aeon shopping mall near Kumamoto City, where a large explosion was reported nearly an hour after the earthquake. Police reported receiving hundreds of emergency calls following the earthquake, many involving collapsed buildings, trapped residents and requests for urgent assistance. The earthquake’s epicentre was located approximately 20 kilometres south of Kumamoto City, the largest city on Japan’s Kyushu Island. Tuesday’s earthquake also caused damage to several cultural heritage sites, including centuries-old shrines and historic buildings across the prefecture.