Earthquake in Japan: 13 killed, nine others defined as missing

Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi announced today, Wednesday, that the earthquake that struck the island of Kyushu has so far claimed the lives of 13 people:

"Serious damage has been caused, including casualties, collapsed buildings, fires, and damage to roads."

These remarks come as Japanese rescue teams continue to search for survivors who may be trapped under the rubble of a shopping center.

Although it was initially reported that between 20 and 30 people remained trapped inside, the local police stated in a declaration that "it seems this number is lower," while confirming that several employees are still inside. Local authorities reported that nine additional people are still classified as missing at a factory. The Japanese government announced that more than 9,000 people sought shelter at evacuation points during the night. It was further reported that seven people were seriously injured and 29 others suffered minor injuries.

The earthquake struck at 16:27 local time and had a magnitude of 7.1 on the moment magnitude scale (a scale parallel to, but slightly different from, the common Richter scale). Images broadcast on Japanese television showed partially destroyed bridges, burning buildings, and overturned freight train cars.

Earthquakes are a common occurrence in Japan, which deals with about 1,000 such tremors on an annual average. This is because Japan is located in an area called the "Ring of Fire," a region with multiple tectonic shifts that create frequent earthquakes. The most powerful earthquake in recent years was in 2011 and reached a magnitude of 9 on the moment magnitude scale. Official reports at the time counted about 15,889 dead, about 2,597 missing, and about 6,152 injured.