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Japanese mall had just reopened before earthquake and explosion

An explosion ripped through a popular mall in Japan, about an hour after it had been evacuated due to an earthquake. The mall had highlighted its seismically reinforced ceilings and safety improvements following a deadly 2016 earthquake. The exact number of people stuck in the building is unknown, as emergency services had not yet found a safe route to enter the building.

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Scoop News DeskKumamoto, Japan · Published Wednesday, July 29, 2026 at 4:15 AM UTCUpdated Wednesday, July 29, 2026 at 12:06 PM UTC

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Live blog: Get the latest updates on the Japan earthquake Thirteen people have now been confirmed dead after a magnitude-7.1 earthquake hit Japan's southern Kumamoto Prefecture on Tuesday, Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi said. "Even now, there are people waiting to be rescued, and this is a race against time," she told reporters at her office in Tokyo.

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Wednesday, July 29, 2026 at 12:06 PM UTC
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