Neena Mae Rayos, Philippine Canadian InquirerJuly 29, 2026TOKYO – A powerful 7.1-magnitude earthquake struck Japan’s southern Kumamoto Prefecture on Tuesday, triggering a chain of disasters that initially left at least two people dead and disrupted infrastructure across the region. The tremor caused a massive explosion at the Aeon Mall Kumamoto shopping center, followed by a building collapse, while also rupturing roads and cutting power to thousands of homes. Rescue teams, comprising fire crews, police, and Self-Defense Force personnel, worked through the night to search for survivors in the debris. By early Wednesday, officials confirmed that eight people had been extracted from the mall: two women in their 20s were declared dead, one person was in cardiopulmonary arrest, and five others suffered non-life-threatening injuries. On Wednesday, Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi announced that the powerful earthquake has claimed 13 lives.