Search operations at Aeon Mall Kumamoto continue in Kashima, Kumamoto Prefecture, on Thursday. — THE YOMIURI SHIMBUN/ANN Photo

KUMAMOTO – The confirmed death toll following Tuesday’s earthquake in Kumamoto Prefecture has risen to 34, the prefectural government said on Thursday. In response to the magnitude 7.1 earthquake that registered the maximum 7 on the Japanese seismic intensity scale, about 400 evacuation shelters have been set up across the prefecture, housing approximately 10,000 people.

According to the prefectural government and other sources, four more deaths were confirmed at the Aeon Mall Kumamoto shopping complex in Kashima, where an explosion occurred, bringing the total to seven. The confirmed death toll at Nippon Paper Industries Co.’s mill in Yatsushiro, where chimneys collapsed, had increased by three to eight as of 2pm on Thursday.

The cause of some of the other deaths include being trapped under collapsed buildings.

“The continued rise in the death toll is deeply regrettable,” Gov. Takashi Kimura said after a meeting of the disaster response headquarters on Thursday morning. “But we have been able to confirm a number of reports regarding missing persons, and we will continue to devote our full efforts to saving lives.”

Work continues at mall

“Precious lives have been lost. I am overcome with remorse,” said Aeon Co. President Akio Yoshida, bowing his head during a press conference held in Kumamoto on Wednesday evening. “I offer my deepest, deepest apologies.”

When the earthquake struck, around 3,000 customers and roughly 1,300 to 1,500 facility and store employees were inside the about 200-store complex, according to explanations given by Yoshida and Keiji Ono, president of Aeon Mall Co., which operates the facility.

Employees spent about 30 minutes evacuating customers. Yoshida explained, however, that some employees “had returned to the facility or remained inside.” Referring to the employees who died, he said, “I feel the gravity of the loss of human life deeply.”

Around the heavily damaged facility, relatives and friends of those whose whereabouts were unknown gathered to watch the search operations.

A 39-year-old man from Kumamoto said his wife worked at a second-floor clothing store. Immediately after the earthquake struck, his wife contacted him, saying, “Are you okay over there?” However, he has not heard from her since.

“It’s been a while since I lost contact with her,” the man said in a strained voice. “I suppose I should prepare myself for the worst.”

All accounted for at mill

At Nippon Paper Industries Co.’s plant in Yatsushiro, the remaining four people were found on Thursday. Concrete debris, pieces of rebar and broken pipes were scattered across the site, while firefighters continued to clear the rubble. The prefectural government said on Thursday that three of the four were confirmed to have died.

During the search operation, the four people were believed to be trapped directly beneath a collapsed chimney, according to a firefighter involved in the rescue efforts. However, as the large amount of debris made it difficult to deploy heavy machinery, they conducted the search using shovels and rock drills.

“It’s a dangerous situation, and we’d have to suspend operations if another earthquake struck,” said the firefighter while the search was underway, wiping the sweat from his brow. “It’s a difficult task.”

According to Nippon Paper Industries, Yatsushiro Mill began operations in 1924. It is the company’s only plant in Kyushu and employs about 400 people. The site occupies approximately 330,000 square meters. The plant had temporarily suspended operations after being damaged in the 2016 Kumamoto Earthquake. — The Yomiuri Shimbun/ANN