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What to Know About the Kumamoto Earthquake in Japan

The 6.8-magnitude quake in southwestern Japan killed 28 people and injured dozens of others. Crews were searching for survivors in a collapsed mall. By Johnny Diaz and Francesca Regalado A powerful 6.8 magnitude earthquake struck southwestern Japan on Tuesday afternoon, killing 28 people and injuring dozens of others, damaging buildings and homes, igniting fires and prompting a search for people who may have been trapped in rubble. The earthquake hit around 4:30 p.m. local time in Kumamoto Prefecture on Kyushu island, the southernmost of Japan’s main islands.

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Scoop News DeskKumamoto, Japan · Published Thursday, July 30, 2026 at 6:41 AM UTCUpdated Thursday, July 30, 2026 at 5:06 PM UTC

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The epicenter of the quake was near Uto, a smaller coastal city around 30 miles south of Kumamoto City, according to the U.S. 1 dead — hundreds of people Takaichi said on Wednesday morning that the damage was “extensive,” and that officials were working to restore electricity and water to areas affected by outages.

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Version 2updated
Thursday, July 30, 2026 at 6:51 AM UTC
The 6.8-magnitude quake in southwestern Japan killed 28 people and injured dozens of others. Crews were searching for survivors in a collapsed mall. By Johnny Diaz and Francesca Regalado A powerful 6.8 magnitude earthquake struck southwestern Japan on Tuesday afternoon, killing 28 people and injuring dozens of others, damaging buildings and homes, igniting fires and prompting a search for people who may have been trapped in rubble. The earthquake hit around 4:30 p.m. local time in Kumamoto Prefecture on Kyushu island, the southernmost of Japan’s main islands.
Version 3unpublished
Thursday, July 30, 2026 at 5:06 PM UTC
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