Disasters & Incidents
Kyushu Quake: At Least 50 Hospitalised, NHK Says
At least 50 people were taken to hospitals with injuries after a major earthquake struck Kyushu in southwest Japan on Tuesday, broadcaster NHK said. NHK also reported that 12 houses had collapsed and that there were four cases in which people had been trapped inside.
Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi had said several injuries, collapsed buildings, fires and infrastructure damage had been reported. She said power outages and fires were happening in some areas, and that roads, bridges and buildings had been damaged.
The quake hit at 4:27 pm local time and measured magnitude 7.1, registering level seven, the highest reading on Japan's Shindo shaking scale, the Japan Meteorological Agency said.
The quake triggered a tsunami alert, with the agency warning that waves could reach up to one metre. NHK said waves of that height may already have hit.
The earthquake cut power to about 45,000 households and facilities in the Kumamoto region. Japan's Nuclear Regulation Authority said no abnormalities were recorded at nuclear power plants, and Kyushu Electric Power said its three reactors in the region continued normal operations.
Police reported the sound of a blast at a shopping mall after the quake, and it was unclear whether anyone was injured in that reported incident.
Kumamoto was hit by damaging earthquakes in 2016, when a magnitude-6.5 quake was followed two days later by a magnitude-7.3 quake. Those quakes killed 273 people and injured more than 2,800.
Update
Police reported the sound of a blast at a shopping mall after the Japan earthquake.
It was unclear whether anyone was injured in that reported mall incident.
Source note: AFP news report published on 28 July 2026 at 09:53:58 UTC.
Update
NHK reported that 12 houses had collapsed after the earthquake.
NHK reported four cases in which people had been trapped inside collapsed houses.
Source note: AFP news report published on 28 July 2026 at 09:37:48 UTC.
Update
Broadcaster NHK reported that at least 50 people were taken to hospitals after the Japan quake.
Source note: AFP news report published on 28 July 2026 at 09:29:24 UTC.
Update
The Japan Meteorological Agency lifted the tsunami alert issued after the magnitude-7.1 earthquake.
The alert was removed from the agency's website just under two hours after the quake.
Source note: AFP news report published on 28 July 2026 at 09:18:50 UTC.
Update
Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi said several injuries had been reported after the quake.
Takaichi said power outages and fires were happening in some areas.
Takaichi said roads and bridges had been damaged and buildings had collapsed.
Source note: AFP news report published on 28 July 2026 at 08:58:28 UTC.
Update
Japan's meteorological agency said no tsunami activity had been observed so far after the quake.
A Japan Meteorological Agency spokesperson said the quake occurred inland.
The agency said it hoped to lift the tsunami advisory relatively early, depending on future sea level conditions.
Source note: AFP news report published on 28 July 2026 at 08:52:58 UTC.
Update
About 45,000 households and facilities had no power in the Kumamoto region, according to Kyushu Electric Power.
An NHK staffer reported strong continuing shaking about half an hour after the quake.
Kyushu Electric Power said three operating nuclear reactors in the region continued normal operations.
Source note: AFP news report published on 28 July 2026 at 08:24:29 UTC.
Update
Kyushu Electric Power said three nuclear reactors operating in the region when the quake struck were continuing normal operations.
Source note: AFP news report published on 28 July 2026 at 08:14:45 UTC.
Update
Japan's nuclear regulator reported no immediate abnormalities at nuclear plants after the earthquake.
Source note: AFP news report published on 28 July 2026 at 07:58:13 UTC.
Update
The earthquake occurred at 4:27 pm local time on Kyushu, according to the Japan Meteorological Agency.
The tremor measured level seven, the highest level on Japan's Shindo shaking scale, according to the agency.
The tsunami could reach up to one metre and arrive at around 5:00 pm local time, according to the agency.
NHK said waves of up to that level may already have been recorded.
Source note: AFP news report published on 28 July 2026 at 07:49:32 UTC.
Uncertainty notes
It was unclear whether anyone was injured after police reported the sound of a blast at a shopping mall.
The supplied material did not establish what caused the reported sound of a blast.
Source
AFP news report published on .