A 7.1-magnitude earthquake hit Japan's southern Kumamoto prefecture on Tuesday, knocking out power to thousands of homes, rupturing roads and injuring at least 50 people, including some trapped inside a partially collapsed shopping mall.
Speaking to reporters at her office in Tokyo, Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi said the number of casualties and extent of the damage in the area which was devastated by a tremblor a decade ago were still being assessed.
We have already been informed that people have been injured. Power outages and fires have occurred in some areas, and there has also been damage to roads and bridges and the collapse of buildings," Takaichi said.
"I ask everyone to take action to protect themselves, including evacuating to a safe location."
One hospital had reported more than 50 injuries, public broadcaster NHK said. Several people on a high-speed train at the time of the quake were also injured, Nikkei newspaper said.
