The number of deaths after the 7.1 magnitude earthquake in Japan rises to 34

Published at: 30/07/2026 09:34 AM

Kumamoto prefectural authorities have increased the number of fatalities from the 7.1 magnitude earthquake that struck southwestern Japan last Tuesday to 34, while emergency crews are still combing through the rubble in search of survivors.

The local disaster management center details that the figure includes seven people found dead in the Aeon Mall shopping center in Kashima, where an explosion after the earthquake aggravated the tragedy, and eight others killed by the collapse of a chimney at the Nippon Paper Industries plant in Yatsushiro, reported the EFE Agency.

This count contrasts with that offered by government spokesman Minoru Kihara, who at an almost simultaneous press conference held the death toll of 30 based on data provided by the national police.

More than 48 hours after the earthquake, the rescue brigades are continuing their tasks in the midst of a shortage of water and electricity, in addition to facing the high temperatures forecast for the region, which has led the Ministry of Defense to deploy canine units to optimize the location of potential trapped persons.

Around 10,000 people remain refugees in some 400 shelters, where the local government and Self-Defense Forces work together to install air conditioning equipment and mitigate extreme conditions.

Mazo News Team