The death toll from the powerful earthquake that struck southwestern Japan has risen to 30, while rescue teams continue searching for survivors beneath the rubble.

The 6.8-magnitude earthquake struck Kumamoto Prefecture on the island of Kyushu on Tuesday, causing extensive damage to homes, buildings and the power grid. Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi confirmed the news.

Some of the victims were killed when part of a shopping mall collapsed, while about an hour later, an explosion suspected to have been caused by a gas leak further damaged the building. The cause of the explosion remains under investigation.

About 9,000 displaced people are staying in evacuation centers, while more than 30,000 households remain without electricity. Authorities have warned that temperatures in the coming days could reach as high as 39 degrees Celsius, increasing the risk of heatstroke.

To address the situation, Japan’s Ministry of Defense has sent 300 air conditioners to the affected areas, half of which will be installed in evacuation centers.

More than 100 aftershocks have been recorded since the earthquake. Fear of further earthquakes has forced many residents to spend the night in their vehicles.

Search-and-rescue operations have focused on the Aeon shopping mall in Kashima, where part of the second floor collapsed, as well as a Nippon Paper factory in the city of Yatsushiro.

At least five people were killed at the factory, while several workers were trapped beneath the rubble. So far, seven of them have been pulled out alive.

The earthquake, which struck at a depth of only 10 kilometers, was strongly felt throughout the Kumamoto region. Residents described it as one of the strongest tremors they had ever experienced.

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A powerful explosion that followed Tuesday’s seismic tremors at the Aeon Mall shopping complex in Kumamoto, Japan, has caused the death of three people, while three others continue to be searched for.

During a press conference, the center’s president, Akio Yoshida, gave the updated toll and corrected an earlier report, noting that the announcement of four missing persons was not accurate.

Yoshida added that another citizen has suffered cardiac arrest as a result of the incident, as search and rescue teams continue operations at the scene to locate the missing individuals.

Authorities suspect that the explosion recorded immediately after the earthquake occurred as a result of a gas leak.

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During the early hours of this morning, the Elbasan district was shaken by two seismic tremors with magnitudes of 3.9 and 2.0 on the Richter scale, in the areas of Gjinar and Shushica.

Recordings from the European Seismological Centre show that the strongest event occurred at 07:33.

Its epicenter was located approximately 12 kilometers southeast of the city of Elbasan and about 44 kilometers southeast of the capital, Tirana.

The depth of this earthquake was only 5 kilometers.

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Today marks 63 years since the devastating earthquake that struck Skopje on July 26, 1963, claiming the lives of 1,070 residents and injuring about 3,000 others.

This catastrophe is known as one of the darkest moments in Skopje’s history, but it also served as a test of international solidarity, which mobilized to support the community in reconstruction.

The main shock was recorded at 5:17 a.m., with weaker tremors continuing until 5:43 a.m. As a result, 15,800 homes collapsed completely, 28,000 others were damaged, and over 200,000 people were left homeless.

Immediately after the tragedy, the International Red Cross called on all organizations to collect food, while the Inter-Parliamentary Union recommended that parliaments and governments worldwide contribute to Skopje’s recovery.

The humanitarian initiative spread to many states, where fundraising campaigns began. The United Nations also took concrete actions to offer long-term support to the destroyed city.

On September 23, 1963, representatives from 35 countries requested that the General Assembly include measures related to the Skopje earthquake on its agenda. Four days later, on September 27, the Assembly prioritized international action to assist Skopje.

The culmination of this movement came on October 14, when the UN General Assembly unanimously adopted a resolution on aid to the Yugoslav Government during the reconstruction process. In that historic debate, speeches were heard from representatives of more than 20 countries from all continents, and this date was recorded in the United Nations archives as Skopje Day.

Throughout the centuries, Skopje has been destroyed and rebuilt several times. The ancient city of Scupi, which lay between the villages of Zlokuqan and Bardovc and served as the metropolis of the province of Dardania, was completely wiped off the face of the earth by an earthquake in 518. At that time, tremors reached an intensity of 10-11 degrees on the Mercalli scale and destroyed 24 civic fortresses in the region of Dardania, cracking the ground and causing rock masses to roll down from the hills. Later, Skopje rose on its current location.

Another catastrophic earthquake hit the city in 1555, with an intensity of about 10 degrees, leaving it in ruins for the second time.

The third major destruction occurred exactly 63 years ago, on July 26, 1963, when Skopje was shaken by an earthquake of magnitude nine on the Mercalli scale, or six on the Richter scale, with its epicenter in “Macedonia” Square.

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In the last 24 hours alone, about 50 more victims have been confirmed, more than three weeks after the magnitude 7.2 and 7.5 quakes, which caused massive destruction, mainly in the north of the country and in the coastal state of La Guaira, near the capital Caracas.

According to parliament president Jorge Rodríguez, the number of injured remains at 16,740, while authorities have not yet published an official figure for missing persons.

A day after the disaster, the United Nations estimated the number of missing could reach up to 50,000, while other estimates place this figure at around 10,000 people.

Search and rescue operations continue in the hardest-hit areas, especially in La Guaira, where emergency teams are working to pull victims and survivors from the rubble of collapsed buildings.

According to authorities, 17,907 people have been left homeless, while another 21,470 have been accommodated in 107 temporary camps set up to cope with the emergency situation.

Official data show that more than 850 buildings have suffered damage, with 190 of them completely collapsed.

Authorities are continuing emergency operations and damage assessment, while the death toll is expected to change as searches in the destroyed areas have not yet been completed.

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The epicentre of the stronger earthquake was at a depth of 80 kilometres in the south of the country, not far from the Pacific coast.

So far, there have been no reports of injuries or material damage.

According to eyewitness accounts published on the EMSC website, the earthquake was felt intensely, with tables shaking in some homes.

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Media reports indicate the official number of injured remains unchanged at 16,740, while 6,462 people have been rescued. The number of people left homeless stands at 17,907, according to the data.

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According to data from the Euro-Mediterranean Seismological Centre, the seismic tremor was recorded at 20:22.

The epicenter was located 17 kilometers southeast of Prizren and 71 kilometers north of Skopje.

The earthquake had a magnitude of 2.2.

To be continued…

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NASA estimates that approximately 58,870 buildings were damaged or destroyed, causing serious problems for housing and infrastructure.

The World Health Organization has also expressed concern about the risk of epidemics spreading, as systems for registering missing persons and victims are inadequate.

The many problems in the healthcare system, water and sewage networks, combined with the forced displacement of populations, could encourage outbreaks of vaccine-preventable diseases such as measles, diphtheria and whooping cough.

Media reports say that the World Food Programme is seeking $50 million in aid, while the international community has mobilized by sending 40 rescue teams, and the United States announced financial assistance of $300 million.

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According to the authorities, the seismic tremor had a focal depth of just 5 kilometers, while the epicenter was recorded at sea, about 116 kilometers southwest of the city of Guasave, in the state of Sinaloa.

Due to its shallow depth, the earthquake was felt in several areas near the coast; however, so far no deaths, injuries, or significant material damage have been reported.

Mexican authorities are monitoring the situation and continuing checks in the affected areas, while no tsunami warning has been issued so far.

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