Japan Earthquake Death Toll Rises to 13 as Rescuers Search for Survivors

The death toll from a powerful earthquake in southwestern Japan has risen to 13, as rescue workers race to find more survivors trapped beneath the rubble, Chie Kobayashi, Olivia Ireland, and Joel Guinto reported for BBC News.

Rescue workers search through collapsed buildings after a powerful earthquake struck Kumamoto Prefecture in southwestern Japan. [Photo: Japan Ministry of Defense]

The magnitude 6.8 earthquake struck Kumamoto Prefecture late Tuesday, damaging roads and buildings, disrupting rail services, and forcing thousands of residents to evacuate to emergency shelters.

Three of the fatalities occurred at Aeon Mall Kashima, where part of the second floor collapsed, according to the local fire department.

Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi expressed her condolences to the victims' families and thanked emergency responders for their ongoing rescue efforts.

"It's a race against time," Takaichi said in an update on Wednesday morning.

The Japan Meteorological Agency (JMA) initially measured the earthquake at magnitude 7.1, while the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) later estimated it at magnitude 6.8. Earthquake magnitude estimates are often revised as seismologists analyze additional data, Jaroslav Lukiv also reported for BBC News.