TEMPO.CO, Jakarta - The death toll from the powerful earthquake that struck the Kumamoto prefecture in southwest Japan has risen to at least 13, according to PM Sanae Takaichi on early Wednesday, July 29, 2026, as reported by the state broadcaster NHK as cited by Anadolu.
One of the deceased, as reported by Xinhua and cited by Antara, was a worker from Vietnam. Additionally, at least one more Vietnamese national was injured, citing the Labor Management Body of the Vietnamese Embassy in Japan.
The victim was trapped beneath a collapsed factory crane due to the earthquake and subsequently passed away despite rescue efforts. Meanwhile, seven other technical trainees from Vietnam working at the same factory were successfully evacuated.
In a separate incident, the wife of a Vietnamese worker residing in Uki City, Kumamoto Prefecture, was injured after their house wall collapsed due to the earthquake.
Injured and Missing Victims
NHK also reported 33 individuals injured and seven individuals still missing following the deadly tremor.
The 7.1 Richter scale earthquake has caused extensive damage, including house fires, bridge collapses, building collapses, and the destruction of steel towers. The earthquake has also left approximately 48,000 households without electricity.
The earthquake is recorded to have reached a maximum seismic intensity scale of 7 in Japan, the highest level. The last earthquake to reach this intensity was the Noto Peninsula earthquake in 2024 on New Year's Day.
A paper factory in Yatsushiro city is among the hardest hit, with officials citing 11 workers trapped after the earthquake. Four individuals have been rescued, including two who were found in cardiac arrest and two with serious injuries.
Search and rescue operations are ongoing for the remaining workers.
The US Geological Survey (USGS) initially reported the earthquake to be of 7.1 magnitude before revising it to 6.8.
According to the USGS, the earthquake occurred at a depth of 10 kilometers on Tuesday, July 28, at 04:27 p.m. local time, approximately 5 kilometers east of Uto in Kumamoto prefecture.
A 5.6 magnitude aftershock occurred at 05:08 p.m. local time, centered 16 kilometers northeast of Tsunagi in Kumamoto, USGS stated.
The Kyushu Shinkansen high-speed rail line will remain suspended on Wednesday, while tram services in Kumamoto city are expected to resume with reduced speed.
The Kumamoto City Transportation Bureau warned that services may be suspended again if another strong earthquake occurs.
Authorities urge the public to remain vigilant against further seismic activity.
Japan, one of the most earthquake-prone countries in the world, is located along the Pacific 'Ring of Fire' and experiences around 20 percent of the world's earthquakes of magnitude 6.0 or higher.
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