Hours after a 7.1 magnitude earthquake struck Japan on Tuesday, the tremors reportedly triggered a blast at Aeon Mall Kumamoto in Kashima Town. One person has died in a house collapse, AFP reported.
Around 300,000 residents have been told to evacuate to shelters, and hundreds of soldiers have been deployed for rescue operations as aftershocks continue to shake Japan's southwestern island of Kyushu, Reuters reported.
As per a statement from the retailer, customers have been evacuated, but several are trapped and feared dead.
Local news agency NHK cited fire officials, who stated that part of the second floor of the building collapsed due to the explosion.
"Kashima town, a shopping complex's second floor collapsed, leaving many people trapped inside," the fire department said in a statement, as per AFP.
Police also said earlier they had received reports of what sounded like an explosion at the Aeon Mall outlet in the Kumamoto region.
{{/usCountry}}Police also said earlier they had received reports of what sounded like an explosion at the Aeon Mall outlet in the Kumamoto region.
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One dead in house collapse
As per news agency AFP, at least one person was killed in a house collapse in southwestern Japan.
Citing the Kumamoto Prefectural Police, Kyodo news reported that one person was found in the collapsed house in Yatsushiro City. The person was confirmed dead after being taken to hospital.
Japan hit with powerful earthquake
On Tuesday, Japan recorded a 7.1 magnitude earthquake in the southwestern region. As per Japan's Meteorological Agency, the tremor was centered around Kumamoto prefecture on the island of Kyushu, approximately 900 km (560 miles) from central Tokyo, and hit at an extremely shallow depth of 10 km.
The JMA also urged caution over a minor tsunami following the quake.
The quake, which was followed by two aftershocks, halted transportation, mobile communications and flights in the region.
Based on local reports, Kumamoto airport runway was closed, with no time set for re-opening, power outages were reported at some 7-Eleven stores in Kumamoto, while NTT Docomo reported disruptions to mobile services.
Chief Cabinet Secretary Minoru Kihara added that no irregularities were reported at nuclear power facilities.
Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi also acknowledged injuries and stated that officials were evaluating reports of widespread damage, including collapsed buildings, fires, and infrastructure problems due to the strong earthquake.