Japan Earthquake Death Toll Reaches 28 as Evacuees Face Extreme Heat

A magnitude 6.8-7.1 quake struck Kumamoto prefecture, leaving thousands without power and water amid sweltering temperatures.

Talivio News · Global 31 July 2026, 01:24 2 min read

A powerful earthquake struck Japan's southern Kumamoto prefecture on July 28 at 16:27 local time, killing at least 28 people and leaving thousands displaced amid soaring temperatures. The quake, with an epicenter in the Uki and Hikawa regions at a depth of 10 km, was reported by different sources as magnitude 6.8 or 7.1. More than 100 aftershocks have been recorded.

Cabinet Secretary Kihara Minoru confirmed the death toll of 28, though one source reported 34. The earthquake caused fires, road and bridge collapses, including the partial collapse of a Nippon Paper factory where at least five people died. Eleven people were trapped at the factory, and seven were rescued.

Part of the Aeon shopping centre collapsed, and an explosion occurred about an hour after the quake. The president of Aeon said it was 'very likely' a gas explosion. The mall had reopened last month after being damaged in the 2016 Kumamoto earthquakes. Twenty-five cats were safely rescued from a cat cafe in the mall.

Between 9,000 and 10,000 displaced residents were in evacuation centres. More than 30,000 households were without power according to one report, while another put the figure at 23,000. Additionally, 75,000 houses experienced water cuts. Many residents slept in their cars for fear of aftershocks.

The temperature in Kumamoto was forecast to reach 39°C (according to one source) or 38°C (according to another), adding to the hardship of evacuees. Japan's Defence Minister Shinjiro Koizumi announced the delivery of 300 air conditioners to Kumamoto, with 150 designated for evacuation centres.

Kumamoto prefecture hosts major semiconductor, electronics component, and automotive manufacturers. Kihara Minoru said it was too early to determine the net effects on the local and global economy.

Updates

Update — 31 July, 01:50

The death toll from the earthquake in Kumamoto has risen to 34, increasing from the previously reported 28. Additionally, authorities have confirmed that at least five individuals died following the partial collapse of a Nippon Paper factory in Yatsushiro city. Chief Cabinet Secretary Kihara Minoru stated that ongoing search-and-rescue operations have now become a race against time.

Update — 31 July, 02:22

The death toll from the earthquake has risen from 28 to 34, while authorities report that at least five of these fatalities occurred following the partial collapse of a Nippon Paper factory in Yatsushiro city. Chief Cabinet Secretary Kihara Minoru stated that search-and-rescue operations have now become a race against time. Additionally, reports indicate that a section of the second floor of the Aeon shopping centre collapsed, with the cause of an explosion at the site currently under investigation.

Sources