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Key points
- Authorities reported at least 23 deaths following an explosion at an Aeon mall in Kumamoto, while the number of injured people was not immediately specified.
- Vehicle-mounted video captured the blast roughly half an hour after a magnitude-7.1 earthquake hit the area.
- Military units joined rescue crews searching the destroyed mall and nearby sites as officials worked to determine how many people remained missing.
- The quake damaged homes, triggered fires and disrupted electricity supplies across the region while emergency teams removed debris from collapsed buildings.
How the story developed
A living timeline
All times shown in UTC
Latest development
The Aeon mall was destroyed in a post-quake explosion on Tuesday, according to the report.
Latest development
On Thursday, rescue operations continued in Kumamoto after the earthquake death toll reached at least 23; officials reported 63 injuries and said the number missing was unclear.
Latest development
Officials reported at least 23 deaths and ongoing searches for survivors after the Kumamoto mall explosion.
With information from: The Japan Times, Euronews.
- Destroyed Aeon mall had just reopened for ‘fresh start’ a decade on from deadly quakeThe Japan Times
- Video. Japan mall explosion after 7.1 quake captured on dashcam footageEuronews
- Rescuers scramble to locate survivors as death toll climbs to 13 after powerful quake hits southwestern JapanEuronews
- Death toll from Japan's earthquake rises to 23 as vital 72-hour window for rescues enters critical phaseEuronews