According to data from the Japan Meteorological Agency, as of 11:30 PM local time on July 28, Kumamoto had experienced over 100 noticeable aftershocks. When the earthquake hit, homes shook violently, walls and glass shattered, and items fell off store shelves in large numbers. There were even reports of people crying out in fear at the scene.
At 4:27 PM local time on July 28, a magnitude 7.1 earthquake struck about 20 kilometers south of Kumamoto City, with a maximum seismic intensity of 7 and a depth of 10 kilometers.The tsunami warning issued after the quake was later lifted. The Sendai Nuclear Power Plant in Kagoshima Prefecture, the Genkai Nuclear Power Plant in Saga Prefecture, and the Ikata Nuclear Power Plant in Ehime Prefecture “all confirmed no abnormalities.”
That evening, the Geospatial Information Authority of Japan reported that after analyzing data from electronic reference points around the epicenter of the Kumamoto earthquake, it found that the quake caused a maximum crustal deformation of about 84 centimeters in Yatsushiro City and about 40 centimeters in Kumamoto City.
As of the time of this report, the earthquake has left tens of thousands of people without power, damaged roads and bridges, and caused buildings to collapse and catch fire. There are also confirmed and presumed fatalities. Approximately 300,000 people in the Kyushu region have received evacuation orders. Hundreds of Self-Defense Force members have been deployed for rescue operations.
Kumamoto Prefecture is located in the center of Japan’s Kyushu Island, overseeing 14 cities, and is home to the world-class Mount Aso volcano in its northeast. The population is 1.6776 million. The manufacturing sector is centered on automobiles and semiconductors. The area is also Japan’s top producer of watermelon, tomatoes, and tatami mats.
A factory chimney at the Nippon Paper Group plant in Yatsushiro City, Kumamoto Prefecture, collapsed. Among those rescued, two were in a state of cardiopulmonary arrest, and nine others are still missing.
TSMC stated that employees at its Kumamoto factory were evacuated to outdoor shelters for safety. After confirming the building was secure, they returned to work. Construction at the second Kumamoto factory, which is still being built, has been partially suspended, but the site itself was unaffected, and production is gradually resuming. Tokyo Electron announced that two factories in Kumamoto Prefecture will be closed on July 29.
Honda’s Kumamoto manufacturing plant, which mainly produces motorcycles, has halted operations and will remain closed until the evening of July 29. Neighboring cities and prefectures are also affected. Toyota Motor Kyushu has stopped production at three factories in Fukuoka Prefecture and plans to resume on the morning of July 29.
In terms of municipal infrastructure and public services, multiple bridges in Yatsushiro City have been fractured or collapsed. A hospital in Kumamoto City reported that about 50 injured people have been brought in, some of whom were in a state of cardiopulmonary arrest upon arrival. Additionally, a phenomenon resembling a “mushroom cloud” appeared in the sky after the quake, sparking speculation about “earthquake clouds,” though the Japan Meteorological Agency has not yet commented.
According to Japanese police sources, the largest Aeon shopping mall in Kumamoto Prefecture, located in Kashima Town, experienced an explosion after the quake, leaving about 20 to 30 employees unaccounted for. Police have reported several confirmed or presumed fatalities. The fire and rescue department said four people have been rescued and taken to the hospital, all of whom were conscious when rescued.
According to Japan’s Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare, as of 8:25 PM on July 28, 26 medical institutions in Kumamoto Prefecture had reported earthquake damage. Yatsushiro City was particularly hard hit, with 12 medical facilities damaged: 11 have lost water, 2 have no power, and 5 have seen their medical gas supplies, such as oxygen, affected. Additionally, 7 medical facilities in Uki City reported damage.
The Japanese archipelago sits at the boundary between the Eurasian Plate and the Pacific Plate. About one-fifth of all magnitude 6 or greater earthquakes worldwide occur in this country, with a major damaging quake happening on average every three years. Living in this environment for generations, government agencies have high prediction accuracy, and the public has adopted various preparedness measures.
On March 11, 2011, a magnitude 9 earthquake struck northeastern Japan at a depth of 10 kilometers, causing at least 15,899 deaths. The quake and the ensuing tsunami severely impacted the Fukushima Daiichi and Fukushima Daini nuclear power plants.The 2016 Kumamoto earthquake claimed 275 lives, injured 2,739 people, and heavily damaged numerous structures, including Kumamoto Castle.