Death Toll from 7.1 Magnitude Earthquake in Japan Rises to 38

Japanese state media have reported that the death toll from last week’s 7.1 magnitude earthquake in Kumamoto Prefecture, located in the southwest of the country, has risen to 38. According to the public broadcaster NHK, the authorities have confirmed 36 deaths, with two additional cases still under investigation to determine if they were directly caused by the earthquake. Following the quake, more than 9,200 people have been housed in 210 temporary shelters, and at least 3,400 homes have been damaged. Additionally, piped water supply has been reported cut off in over 69,000 residential and commercial units in Kumamoto. Medical centers damaged by the earthquake are gradually resuming their operations. Officials said that on Saturday alone, around 30 individuals showing symptoms of suspected heatstroke were transferred to hospitals, as temperatures in some parts of the prefecture reached over 37 degrees Celsius. Local authorities have warned that the full extent of the damage is not yet clear, and there is a possibility of an increase in the number of damaged buildings as investigations continue. The local government also announced that search and rescue operations have ended at the Aeon shopping center, where seven workers died due to an explosion shortly after the earthquake, and five others were injured. Kumamoto is known as one of Japan’s earthquake-prone prefectures in the southwest and has experienced severe earthquakes in the past.