Tokyo, July 28 (V7N)- The death toll from a powerful 7.1-magnitude earthquake that struck Japan has risen to 28, according to the country's government spokesperson. Rescue operations are still underway in several of the worst-affected areas, with authorities fearing the number of fatalities could increase further.
The strong earthquake struck at around 4:30 pm local time on Tuesday (July 28). Its epicenter was near Kumamoto City on the island of Kyushu.
A large shopping mall in Kumamoto collapsed during the quake, and part of the building was rocked by an explosion. Many people are still believed to be trapped beneath the rubble.
The earthquake also caused a chimney to collapse at a paper mill, while around 50 medical facilities sustained damage. In addition, sections of the walls of a historic 17th-century palace collapsed due to the powerful tremor.
Following the earthquake, nearly 40,000 homes were left without electricity in the affected areas.
More than 3,500 rescue personnel have been deployed as search and rescue efforts continue. Authorities are continuing to assess the full extent of the damage and search for survivors.
END/SMA/AJ
