A magnitude 7.1 earthquake struck Japan's southern Kumamoto prefecture on Tuesday, causing widespread damage, power outages, transport disruption and a deadly explosion at a shopping mall as rescue operations continued across the region.
Authorities said several people were presumed dead and others remained trapped following the blast at the partially collapsed Aeon mall, while injuries were reported at hospitals and on a high-speed train affected by the tremors.
Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi said the government was still assessing the full extent of the damage and urged residents to evacuate to safe locations as aftershocks continued.
Around 300,000 people were instructed to move to evacuation centres, while 3,600 soldiers were deployed to assist emergency response efforts.
Police said "quite a few" people were presumed dead after the explosion at the shopping mall, where between 20 and 30 workers were reported unaccounted for.
The mall operator said customers and employees had been evacuated immediately after the earthquake and that the cause of the subsequent explosion remained unclear.
One hospital treated more than 50 injured people, while another reported around 40 casualties, including 10 in serious condition.
Several buildings caught fire or partially collapsed, roads and bridges were damaged, and a chimney collapse at a Nippon Paper Industries factory left multiple people unaccounted for.
The tsunami warning issued immediately after the earthquake was later lifted, and Japan's nuclear regulator reported no abnormalities at nearby nuclear power stations.
Rail services across Kyushu, including bullet trains, were suspended, while Kumamoto Airport closed its runway and airlines diverted or cancelled flights.
Kyushu Electric Power said tens of thousands of homes lost electricity, while mobile phone services were disrupted because of power shortages and transmission-line failures.
Manufacturers including TSMC, Sony, Fujifilm, Tokyo Electron and Honda halted or suspended operations and evacuated workers from affected facilities.
Officials warned residents to remain alert for strong aftershocks and landslides over the coming week.
Parts of the stone walls at Kumamoto Castle also collapsed, recalling the devastating earthquakes that struck the prefecture a decade ago.
Authorities also warned of heatstroke risks for residents without electricity as high temperatures were forecast.