Horror-stricken individuals were captured on video fleeing in panic after a powerful 7.1 magnitude earthquake hit Japan. Tragedy struck at Aeon Mall Kumamoto in Kashima City, Kyushu prefecture, where three mall workers lost their lives, and three others are still missing following the destructive earthquake on Tuesday morning. Disturbing footage from a passing car’s dashcam showed the shopping center violently rupturing outwards, creating a significant hole in its structure.
Terrifying clips filmed by occupants inside the mall depicted the frantic escape as they sought safety during the early morning chaos, preceding an urgent search and rescue mission. Another video from within the Aeon mall displayed locals running for shelter after an alleged gas leak triggered by the earthquake. The fear-stricken voices of people and debris scattered around painted a scene of chaos and distress.
Reports from the scene revealed that rescuers detected a strong smell of gas inside the mall during their critical operations. Witnesses observed an emergency vehicle repeatedly warning individuals to steer clear of the area due to a potential gas leak.
Minoru Kihara, Japan’s chief government spokesperson, disclosed that investigations into the incident’s cause were ongoing, emphasizing that the mall used liquefied petroleum gas (LPG) stored in large canisters rather than pipelines. While gas systems are typically designed to shut down during seismic events or gas leaks, Aeon’s management asserted that the gas explosion was unforeseeable.
The mall, operating for over two decades, had undergone renovations to meet updated seismic standards after sustaining damage in the 2016 Kumamoto earthquake. Approximately 3,000 individuals were evacuated to the mall’s parking lots before the tragic gas explosion occurred in a section where employees were working.
The missing individuals, presumed to be employees, are yet to be located as soldiers and emergency personnel comb through the extensively damaged mall and homes in southwestern Japan post the earthquake. The death toll has risen to 18, including a foreign national, with 62 individuals injured, six of them severely, as reported by Kyushu’s prefectural government.
With ongoing rescue efforts, concerns loom over the potential rise in casualties due to the earthquake striking when the mall was bustling with thousands of occupants. Thousands of homes remain without power or water supply, prompting nearly 8,800 people to seek refuge in over 400 shelters, where efforts are underway to provide essential amenities.
Aerial footage from law enforcement revealed devastated residential areas with homes completely flattened, some collapsing into nearby rivers. Japan’s Self Defense Forces, along with international assistance from Taiwan’s firefighters, are actively engaged in the search and rescue missions to aid the affected communities.
