Japan earthquake update: 9 dead, over 760 injured

A 6.5 magnitude earthquake struck Kumamoto city on Kyushu island in southern Japan on Thursday night, April 14, 2016, at 9:26 pm. Hardest hit was the town of Mashiki, 9 miles east of Kumamoto city.

A 6.5 magnitude earthquake struck Kumamoto city on Kyushu island in southern Japan on Thursday night, April 14, 2016, at 9:26 pm. Hardest hit was the town of Mashiki, 9 miles east of Kumamoto city. At least 116 aftershocks, one as large as 6.4 in magnitude, have occurred since then. No tsunami was generated.

So far 9 people have been confirmed dead (mostly the elderly), 761 injured, and 44,000 sought refuge. Houses and other buildings have crumbled, roads have buckled, and damage has occurred in buildings where items have fallen and furniture has shifted. Some have lost connection to water.


It was reported that 1,600 soliders have been deployed to help with the search, rescue, and recovery. Firefighters are fighting blazes that have broken out from the quake.

The quake struck at 9:26 p.m. at a depth of 11 kilometers (7 miles) near Kumamoto city on the island of Kyushu, the Japan Meteorological Agency said. There was no tsunami risk.

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Linda Hohnholz

Editor in chief for eTurboNews based in the eTN HQ.

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