‘The shaking was terrifying’: stories of survival and loss emerge after Japan earthquake
A southern Japan earthquake unleashed severe shaking and widespread destruction across Kyushu, forcing residents to shelter in cars and prompting a race against time for rescues. Heartfelt accounts emerge from Hikawa and Uki, where relatives and volunteers battled aftershocks to pull survivors from collapsed homes and to manage damaged infrastructure. Authorities warn the toll may still rise as teams search for the missing amid extreme heat, with the 10-year anniversary of the Kumamoto disaster looming for the region. The event underscores the ongoing vulnerability of older housing and the fragility of relief facilities, while communities mobilize local response efforts and look ahead to recovery.
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A volunteer firefighter recounted rescuing a man from the rubble of a flattened house in Hikawa, describing a life-threatening moment but a survivor, bleeding from the head, being pulled to safety.
Eyewitnesses described a sense of mounting danger as ongoing aftershocks followed the initial quake, driving residents to sleep in cars outside Hikawa’s town hall where aid was distributed.
In Hikawa and nearby Uki City, responders faced damaged roads, collapsed structures, and makeshift operations as families shelter and wait for more information about loved ones.
The Kumamoto Aeon mall sustained damage and a gas-explosion-related blast, trapping employees despite initial evacuations; reports indicated dozens of workers remained unaccounted for at one point.
A 16-year-old girl and other shoppers escaped the Aeon mall before the explosion, later struggling to breathe amid dust and smoke, highlighting the chaotic aftermath of the event.
Residents in Uki and Yatsushiro recounted close calls and delayed rescue attempts due to aftershocks, with some people surviving because they were off work or defended family members during collapses.
As the region marked the Kumamoto earthquake’s 10th anniversary in April, authorities and residents faced renewed concerns about the potential scale of damage and the resilience of emergency infrastructure.