Death toll from earthquake in southwestern Japan rises to 34, six more reported injured

A powerful 7.1 magnitude earthquake struck Japan's Kumamoto Prefecture on Tuesday, causing the death toll to rise to 34, with six more seriously injured. The quake led to widespread damage, including collapsed buildings, ruptured roads, and snarled supply chains. Approximately 260,000 people received evacuation orders. Key incidents included significant structural damage at Nippon Paper Industries' paper mill and a possible gas explosion at Aeon's shopping mall, accounting for nearly half of the fatalities. The Japanese government issued emergency warnings for several prefectures on Kyushu island, as thousands lost power and infrastructure was severely impacted. Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi urged residents to "take action to protect themselves, including evacuating to a safe location."