Japan Rescue crews comb shattered shops as three remain missing after Kumamoto quake, explosion

Rescuers Search Mall Ruins

New footage released by Japan’s Fire and Disaster Management Agency shows rescuers searching the wreckage of Aeon Mall Kumamoto after an explosion following the huge earthquake brought down part of the Aeon shopping centre.

Footage filmed in Kashima, Kumamoto Prefecture, on Wednesday shows emergency crews clearing rubble and searching rows of wrecked shops inside the badly damaged building.

Deaths Reported After Quake

Four people have been confirmed dead at the mall and three remain missing, according to operator Aeon. Around 3,000 customers were evacuated before the blast – believed to be a gas leak – which followed a magnitude 7.1 earthquake in south-western Japan on Tuesday.

Across the affected region, at least 18 people have died and 62 have been injured by the quake. Rescue teams were also searching collapsed homes and a damaged paper factory, while thousands of residents remained in shelters.

Fire and Disaster Management Agency, via Viory.Video