The death toll from the magnitude 7.1 earthquake that struck Kumamoto Prefecture in southwestern Japan has climbed to 38, according to the prefectural government, which made the announcement at a disaster response headquarters meeting on Sunday morning. The figure includes individuals whose deaths are still being investigated to confirm whether the tremor was the direct cause.

Key Developments at Affected Sites

At a Nippon Paper factory in Yatsushiro City, the earthquake caused a smokestack to collapse, trapping workers inside. Rescue teams pulled 10 people from the debris — eight were confirmed dead and two sustained injuries. A person who had been reported missing was subsequently found in the rubble shortly after noon on Thursday, though officials have not yet disclosed that individual's condition.

At Aeon Mall Kumamoto in Kashima Town, a large explosion erupted in the aftermath of the quake, compounding the disaster. Rescue teams recovered 12 people from the site — seven were confirmed dead and five were injured. Police and firefighters are continuing search operations to determine whether any additional survivors or victims remain trapped within the structure.

Thousands Displaced, Utilities Disrupted

More than 9,400 people are currently sheltering across 406 evacuation centres throughout the prefecture, officials said. The earthquake has left approximately 79,700 households without water supply, and local authorities have stated there is no timetable for restoration in any of the affected municipalities.

Around 19,000 households remained without electricity as of Thursday afternoon. Kyushu Electric Power indicated that power restoration was expected by Friday evening, provided repair work proceeded as planned.

Government Response

Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi chaired the Second Extraordinary Disaster Countermeasures Headquarters Meeting for the Kumamoto earthquake on Wednesday. Kumamoto Prefecture Governor Kimura and Deputy Minister Tsushima of the Cabinet Office attended the meeting virtually.

Takaichi offered condolences to the victims and expressed sympathies to bereaved families, assuring that the government is working swiftly to assess damage while relevant ministries coordinate initial responses.

What Comes Next

With no water restoration timeline in place for affected municipalities and search operations still ongoing at multiple sites, the humanitarian situation in Kumamoto remains acute. The scale of infrastructure damage — spanning utilities, commercial buildings, and industrial facilities — suggests the recovery phase will extend well beyond the immediate rescue effort.