Japan quake survivors battle thirst, heat as death toll rises to 25

World earthquakejapanTop News Japan quake survivors battle thirst, heat as death toll rises to 25 Aftermath Of Magnitude 7.1 Earthquake In Kumamoto Relevant News With fields destroyed and hives lost, Gaza’s beekeepers struggle to start over 30 July 2026 Man, 27, found dead on Protaras beach 30 July 2026 Japan quake survivors battle thirst, heat as death toll rises to 25 30 July 2026 newsroom 30 July 2026 FacebookXWhatsAppEmailPrintViber The 7.1-magnitude earthquake that struck southern Japan toppled houses and split open streets in the small city of Yatsushiro, but there was mounting concern about invisible threats from the lack of water and power amid the punishing summer heat. Many of the port city’s roughly 58,000 households were still without running water or power on Thursday, two days since the quake hit Kumamoto prefecture killing at least 25 people. Akio Matsushita, a local officialhelping lead relief efforts, said he had no idea whether it would take days, weeks or months to repair the badly damaged water mains. “Because of the summer heat, the lack of water is especially difficult,” he said in the city hall. With the city hall’s toilets out of order, officials erected emergency toilets over sewer manholes outside the building, in temperatures of around 35 degrees Celsius (95 degrees Fahrenheit) and stifling humidity. “It will require painstaking work, and there is currently no timetable,” Matsushita added. A Kyushu Electric Power 9508.T representative said the utility was aiming to restore power by Friday evening. DEATH TOLL CLIMBS The Kumamoto prefectural government said the death toll from the earthquake was now at 25 — the majority of them at Nippon Paper Industries’ 3863.T paper mill, which suffered major structural damage, and at Aeon’s 8267.Tshopping mall, where a possible gas explosion occurred. Nine other deaths in the prefecture were being investigated to ascertain if they were linked to the quake, it said. One of the victims of the quake was a newlywed Vietnamese factory worker, survived by his wife and seven-month-old baby, according to Vietnamese news site Kenh14. In an interview with the news site, Vu Thi Thuy recalled her last conversation with her husband the night before the tremor struck. “Every time we video-called, my son never wanted to look at his dad but that night, for some reason, he stayed glued to the screen, wanting to be with his dad,” she said. “It was after 11 p.m. when I finally told him, ‘Let’s hang up so dad can get some sleep. He has to work tomorrow.’ I never imagined that would be our last call.” AUTHORITIES WARN OF HEAT STROKE While rescue and relief efforts continue, a Kumamoto official warned of the risk of heat stroke with temperatures that were forecast to reach close to 40 C at the weekend. The Self-Defense Forces (SDF) —Japan’s military — is installing about 300 air-conditioning units in evacuation centres and other key sites around Kumamoto. Immediately after the quake, SDF trucks towed water tanks to community centres and schools across Yatsushiro city, returning to city hall to refill from emergency tanks beneath the building. Residents were limited to 5 litres each. Among them was Masahiro Miyamoto, who had been helping clear rubble from a temple gate that had toppled. He returned home after the late-afternoon quake to find his house still standing beside the collapsed remains of his neighbour’s home. But with no running water, he was forced to rely on military water tankers. The few shops still open were packed with people searching for supplies, he said, while cars formed long queues at petrol stations. “It would be better if disasters did not happen, but this is Japan, so perhaps it is something we simply have to live with,” Miyamoto said. PRODUCTION HALT HITS MAJOR MANUFACTURERS Japan sits on the Pacific “Ring of Fire”, an arc of volcanoes and ocean trenches that account for about one-fifth of the world’s large earthquakes. Strict building standards and regular disaster drills reduce casualties, but powerful tremors can still cripple the regions in which they occur. Kumamoto and other parts of the Kyushu region have increasingly become key production sites for automobiles and semiconductors, raising concerns over a possible hit to the economy. Tuesday’s quake has forced manufacturers such as Toyota 7203.T, Honda 7267.T, Nissan 7201.T, Aisin 7259.T and Sony 6758.T to halt some production and prompted Taiwan’s TSMC 2330.TW to evacuate workers and briefly suspend operations to assess any damage. Chief Cabinet Secretary Minoru Kihara said it was difficult to estimate the impact on the economy now. “Our immediate priority is to restore and repair infrastructure, including ports and other key facilities. We will also closely monitor the impact on economic activity, particularly supply chains in sectors such as semiconductors and automobiles,” he told reporters. Miyamoto and many residents of Yatsushiro and nearby Kumamoto city have endured major earthquakes before. Two powerful quakes in April 2016 killed more than 260 people and destroyed thousands of homes. But Tuesday’s shaking, which toppled shelves and hurled computers to the floor, was worse in Yatsushiro than anything Matsushita experienced a decade ago. “I had never experienced the world moving like that before. It felt as though my body became weightless and was thrown through the air,” Miyamoto said. (Reuters) Subscribe to our Newsletter Latest News With fields destroyed and hives lost, Gaza’s beekeepers struggle to start over Man, 27, found dead on Protaras beach US strikes Iran as widening war engulfs more countries Greek firefighters battle deadly wildfires on Crete for a second day On this day: England beat Germany to win the World Cup in 1966 Cyprus municipalities more dependent on the state despite reform Central Bank flags Middle East and climate as key risks Follow en.philenews on Google News and be the first to know all the news about Cyprus and the world.