The death toll from the magnitude 7.1 earthquake that struck Kumamoto Prefecture, Japan, has climbed to 34, including nine cases still under investigation to confirm links to the disaster, according to the prefectural disaster response headquarters. The figures were announced at an official meeting held on Thursday afternoon, as rescue operations continued across multiple sites.

Key Developments at the Disaster Sites

At the Nippon Paper factory in Yatsushiro City, where the tremor caused a smokestack to collapse, rescue teams recovered 10 people from the debris — eight of whom were confirmed dead and two of whom sustained injuries. A person who had been reported missing was located 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 triggered by the earthquake compounded the emergency. Of the 12 people rescued from the site, seven were confirmed dead and five were injured. Police and firefighters are continuing search operations to determine whether anyone else remains trapped inside the structure.

Thousands Displaced, Utilities Disrupted

More than 9,400 people are currently sheltering at 406 evacuation centres across the prefecture, officials confirmed. The earthquake has also left approximately 79,700 households without access to water, with local authorities stating there is currently no timetable for restoring supply in any of the affected municipalities.

Separately, around 19,000 households remained without electricity as of Thursday afternoon. Kyushu Electric Power indicated that power restoration is expected by Friday evening, provided repair work proceeds as planned.

Government Response

On Wednesday, Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi convened the Second Extraordinary Disaster Countermeasures Headquarters Meeting for the Kumamoto earthquake. Kumamoto Prefecture Governor Kimura and Cabinet Office Deputy Minister Tsushima joined the meeting virtually.

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

What Comes Next

With nine deaths still under official investigation and search operations ongoing at multiple sites, the toll is expected to rise further. The absence of any water-restoration timeline signals a prolonged humanitarian challenge for the region. All eyes are now on whether the central government escalates its disaster classification and mobilises additional resources in the coming days.