Overview
- A very strong, shallow earthquake struck Kumamoto on Tuesday, July 28, the Japan Meteorological Agency initially gave a preliminary magnitude of 7.1 and reported the maximum Shindo 7 shaking while international agencies later gave slightly different magnitude and depth readings.
- Rescue teams reported dozens injured and people trapped after an explosion-like blast and a partial collapse at an Aeon shopping mall, and aerial footage showed sections of the stone walls at historic Kumamoto Castle collapsing.
- The JMA issued tsunami advisories for the Ariake and Yatsushiro coastal areas that warned of roughly one-metre waves before broader Pacific threats were ruled out and wider warnings were lifted after no major tsunami was observed.
- Transport and utilities were widely disrupted as JR Kyushu suspended services including the Shinkansen, tens of thousands of households lost power, airports and local rail remained closed for safety checks, and nearby nuclear plants reported no abnormalities.
- The national government set up a task force and deployed rescue units while firms such as TSMC and Sony evacuated staff, officials cautioned about strong aftershocks, and damage assessments and searches continue with totals still evolving.