People missing at shopping mall after magnitude 7.1 quake shakes southern Japan

An earthquake registering a magnitude of 7.1 shook Japan’s southern main island of Kyushu and caused part of a shopping centre to collapse on Tuesday, leaving dozens of people missing or injured, officials said.

A tsunami advisory was issued but quickly lifted.

The second floor of the Aeon Mall shopping centre in Kashima Town collapsed, trapping an unknown number of people.

Around 20 to 30 employees were missing while several other people were dug out and taken to a hospital, Kyodo News agency reported, quoting local police.

The affected area is about 540 miles south west of Tokyo. A tsunami advisory for the Ariake and Yatsushiro Seas on the western coasts of Kumamoto prefecture and three neighbouring prefectures was lifted within two hours, the Japan Meteorological Agency said.

Japan’s prime minister Sanae Takaichi told reporters there were reports of damage to roads, bridges and buildings, as well as blackouts and fires, though details were unclear.

Japan’s Fire and Disaster Management Agency said there were no reports of damage to major public facilities or infrastructure.

Japan’s Nuclear Regulation Authority said no abnormalities were found at three nearby nuclear power plants.

Kyodo said a hospital in Yatsushiro city took in about 40 people with injuries and about 50 others were taken to a hospital in Kumamoto city.

Shinkansen bullet trains and local trains in Kyushu were suspended for safety checks, and the runway at Aso Kumamoto Airport was closed, with “no prospect of resuming operations”, according to a notice on the airport’s website. There were no details.

The Japanese Defence Ministry said it dispatched aircraft to the area to assess the situation.

A train derailed and fell on its side at Yatsushiro station, and stone walls were damaged at Kumamoto castle, Kyodo said.

“The shaking reminded me of the Kumamoto quake (10 years ago) and I was frightened,” said Hiroki Shimoda, an official at Mifune town hall, who saw roof tiles of nearby homes crash to the ground.

Kumamoto was hit with a deadly quake in 2016 that left more than 50 people dead.

Shinji Kiyomoto with the Japan Meteorological Agency urged residents to be cautious over the next two to three days.