The death toll has grown to at least 34 people in southwestern Japan after a powerful earthquake on Tuesday, according to the prefectural government of Kumamoto, on Japan's southern main island of Kyushu, where the quake struck. The Ministry of Environment sent out a heatstroke alert for the Kumamoto area, with temperatures expected to reach as high as 91 degrees Fahrenheit on Thursday. AEON Mall, which was damaged by an explosion following an earthquake, is seen in Kashima, Kumamoto Prefecture, southern Japan, Wednesday, July 29, 2026. Vehicles are crushed under collapsed buildings in Yatsushiro, southwestern Japan, Wednesday, July 29, 2026, the day after an earthquake hit the area. Restoring electricity, gas and water to stricken areas, while supplying fresh water, is key, she said.