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Japan: Earthquake Sparks Deadly Mall Explosion in Kumamoto

A massive earthquake struck Kumamoto Prefecture in southwestern Japan on Tuesday, forcing nearly 9,000 residents to evacuate. The quake also triggered a large explosion at a shopping mall in the town of Kashima, tearing through the building and killing at least four people. The footage shows smoke rising from the building as the filmer claims, "I was waiting in the parking lot to calm down, but suddenly I heard what sounded like an explosion from the Aeon Mall, and smoke started coming out."

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Aftermath of strong earthquake in Kumamoto

Photo taken from a Kyodo News helicopter on July 29, 2026, shows a destroyed Aeon Mall building in Kashima, Kumamoto Prefecture, a day after an explosion apparently triggered by a gas leak following a powerful earthquake that hit the southwestern Japan prefecture.

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Aftermath of strong earthquake in Kumamoto

Photo taken from a Kyodo News helicopter on July 29, 2026, shows a destroyed Aeon Mall building in Kashima, Kumamoto Prefecture, a day after an explosion apparently triggered by a gas leak following a powerful earthquake that hit the southwestern Japan prefecture.

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Aftermath of strong earthquake in Kumamoto

Search and rescue operations continue at a destroyed Aeon Mall building in Kashima, Kumamoto Prefecture, on July 29, 2026, a day after an explosion apparently triggered by a gas leak following a powerful earthquake that hit the southwestern Japan prefecture.

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Aftermath of strong earthquake in Kumamoto Pref.

Journalists gather near a destroyed Aeon Mall building (back) in Kashima, Kumamoto Prefecture, on July 29, 2026, a day after an explosion apparently triggered by a gas leak following a powerful earthquake that hit the southwestern Japan prefecture.

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Aftermath of strong earthquake in Kumamoto Pref.

Photo taken on July 29, 2026, shows a partially collapsed Aeon Mall building in Kashima, Kumamoto Prefecture, a day after an explosion apparently triggered by a gas leak following a powerful earthquake that hit the southwestern Japan prefecture.

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Aftermath of strong earthquake in Kumamoto Pref.

Photo taken from a Kyodo News helicopter shows an abandoned truck near a destroyed Aeon Mall building in Kashima, Kumamoto Prefecture, on July 29, 2026, a day after an explosion apparently triggered by a gas leak following a powerful earthquake that hit the southwestern Japan prefecture.

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Aftermath of strong earthquake in Kumamoto Pref.

Photo taken from a Kyodo News helicopter on July 29, 2026, shows a destroyed Aeon Mall building in Kashima, Kumamoto Prefecture, a day after an explosion apparently triggered by a gas leak following a powerful earthquake that hit the southwestern Japan prefecture.

E

Aftermath of strong earthquake in Kumamoto Pref.

Photo taken from a Kyodo News helicopter on July 29, 2026, shows a destroyed Aeon Mall building in Kashima, Kumamoto Prefecture, a day after an explosion apparently triggered by a gas leak following a powerful earthquake that hit the southwestern Japan prefecture.

E

Aftermath of strong earthquake in Kumamoto Pref.

Photo taken from a Kyodo News helicopter on July 29, 2026, shows a destroyed Aeon Mall building in Kashima, Kumamoto Prefecture, a day after an explosion apparently triggered by a gas leak following a powerful earthquake that hit the southwestern Japan prefecture.

E

Aftermath of strong earthquake in Kumamoto Pref.

A truck is seen abandoned near a destroyed Aeon Mall building in Kashima, Kumamoto Prefecture, on July 29, 2026, a day after an explosion apparently triggered by a gas leak following a powerful earthquake that hit the southwestern Japan prefecture.

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Aftermath of strong earthquake in Kumamoto Pref.

Access to a destroyed Aeon Mall building (back) in Kashima, Kumamoto Prefecture, is cordoned off on July 29, 2026, a day after an explosion apparently triggered by a gas leak following a powerful earthquake that hit the southwestern Japan prefecture.

E

Aftermath of strong earthquake in Kumamoto Pref.

Photo taken on July 29, 2026, shows a destroyed Aeon Mall building (back) in Kashima, Kumamoto Prefecture, a day after an explosion apparently triggered by a gas leak following a powerful earthquake that hit the southwestern Japan prefecture.

E

Aftermath of strong earthquake in Kumamoto Pref.

Access to a destroyed Aeon Mall building (back) in Kashima, Kumamoto Prefecture, is cordoned off on July 29, 2026, a day after an explosion apparently triggered by a gas leak following a powerful earthquake that hit the southwestern Japan prefecture.

E

Aftermath of strong earthquake in Kumamoto Pref.

Search and rescue operations continue at a destroyed Aeon Mall building in Kashima, Kumamoto Prefecture, on July 29, 2026, a day after an explosion apparently triggered by a gas leak following a powerful earthquake that hit the southwestern Japan prefecture.

E

Aftermath of strong earthquake in Kumamoto Pref.

Photo taken on July 29, 2026, shows a destroyed Aeon Mall building in Kashima, Kumamoto Prefecture, a day after an explosion apparently triggered by a gas leak following a powerful earthquake that hit the southwestern Japan prefecture.

E

Aftermath of strong earthquake in Kumamoto Pref.

Search and rescue operations continue at a destroyed Aeon Mall building in Kashima, Kumamoto Prefecture, on July 29, 2026, a day after an explosion apparently triggered by a gas leak following a powerful earthquake that hit the southwestern Japan prefecture.

E

Aftermath of strong earthquake in Kumamoto Pref.

Photo taken on July 29, 2026, shows a destroyed Aeon Mall building in Kashima, Kumamoto Prefecture, a day after an explosion apparently triggered by a gas leak following a powerful earthquake that hit the southwestern Japan prefecture.

E

Strong quake jolts southwestern Japan

Search and rescue operations are underway at a destroyed Aeon Mall building in Kashima, Kumamoto Prefecture, following an explosion after a powerful earthquake shook the southwestern Japan prefecture. Many people are feared trapped inside the building.

E

Strong quake jolts southwestern Japan

Search and rescue operations are underway at a destroyed Aeon Mall building in Kashima, Kumamoto Prefecture, on July 28, 2026, following an explosion after a powerful earthquake shook the southwestern Japan prefecture. Many people are feared trapped inside the building.

E

Strong quake jolts southwestern Japan

Search and rescue operations are underway at a destroyed Aeon Mall building in Kashima, Kumamoto Prefecture, following an explosion after a powerful earthquake shook the southwestern Japan prefecture. Many people are feared trapped inside the building.

E

Strong quake jolts southwestern Japan

Photo taken from a Kyodo News helicopter on July 28, 2026, shows a destroyed Aeon Mall building in Kashima, Kumamoto Prefecture, following an explosion after a magnitude 7.1 earthquake shook the southwestern Japan prefecture. Many people are feared trapped inside the building.

E

Strong quake jolts southwestern Japan

Photo taken from a Kyodo News helicopter on July 28, 2026, shows a destroyed Aeon Mall building in Kashima, Kumamoto Prefecture, following an explosion after a magnitude 7.1 earthquake shook the southwestern Japan prefecture. Many people are feared trapped inside the building.

E

Strong quake jolts southwestern Japan

Photo taken on July 28, 2026, shows a destroyed Aeon Mall building (L) in Kashima, Kumamoto Prefecture, following an explosion after a magnitude 7.1 earthquake shook the southwestern Japan prefecture. Many people are feared trapped inside the building.

E

Strong quake jolts southwestern Japan

Photo taken on July 28, 2026, shows a destroyed Aeon Mall building in Kashima, Kumamoto Prefecture, following an explosion after a magnitude 7.1 earthquake shook the southwestern Japan prefecture. Many people are feared trapped inside the building.

E

Strong quake jolts southwestern Japan

Photo taken on July 28, 2026, shows a destroyed Aeon Mall building (back) in Kashima, Kumamoto Prefecture, following an explosion after a magnitude 7.1 earthquake shook the southwestern Japan prefecture. Many people are feared trapped inside the building.

E

Strong quake jolts southwestern Japan

Photo taken on July 28, 2026, shows search and rescue operations at a destroyed Aeon Mall building in Kashima, Kumamoto Prefecture, following an explosion after a magnitude 7.1 earthquake shook the southwestern Japan prefecture. Many people are feared trapped inside the building.

E

Strong quake jolts southwestern Japan

Photo taken from a Kyodo News helicopter on July 28, 2026, shows search and rescue operations at a partially destroyed Aeon Mall building in Kashima, Kumamoto Prefecture, following an explosion after an earthquake with a preliminary magnitude of 7.1 shook the southwestern Japan prefecture. Many people are feared trapped inside the building.

E

Strong quake jolts southwestern Japan

Photo taken on July 28, 2026, shows a partially destroyed Aeon Mall building in Kashima, Kumamoto Prefecture, following an explosion after an earthquake with a preliminary magnitude of 7.1 shook the southwestern Japan prefecture.

E

Strong quake jolts southwestern Japan

Photo taken on July 28, 2026, shows a partially destroyed Aeon Mall building in Kashima, Kumamoto Prefecture, following an explosion after an earthquake with a preliminary magnitude of 7.1 shook the southwestern Japan prefecture.

E

Strong quake jolts southwestern Japan

Photo taken from a Kyodo News helicopter on July 28, 2026, shows search and rescue operations at a partially destroyed Aeon Mall building in Kashima, Kumamoto Prefecture, following an explosion after an earthquake with a preliminary magnitude of 7.1 shook the southwestern Japan prefecture. Many people are feared trapped inside the building.

E

Strong quake jolts southwestern Japan

Photo taken from a Kyodo News helicopter on July 28, 2026, shows search and rescue operations at a partially destroyed Aeon Mall building in Kashima, Kumamoto Prefecture, following an explosion after an earthquake with a preliminary magnitude of 7.1 shook the southwestern Japan prefecture. Many people are feared trapped inside the building.

E

Strong quake jolts southwestern Japan

Photo taken from a Kyodo News helicopter on July 28, 2026, shows search and rescue operations at a partially destroyed Aeon Mall building in Kashima, Kumamoto Prefecture, following an explosion after an earthquake with a preliminary magnitude of 7.1 shook the southwestern Japan prefecture. Many people are feared trapped inside the building.

E

Strong quake jolts southwestern Japan

Photo taken from a Kyodo News helicopter on July 28, 2026, shows search and rescue operations at a partially destroyed Aeon Mall building in Kashima, Kumamoto Prefecture, following an explosion after an earthquake with a preliminary magnitude of 7.1 shook the southwestern Japan prefecture. Many people are feared trapped inside the building.

E

Strong quake jolts southwestern Japan

Photo taken from a Kyodo News helicopter on July 28, 2026, shows a partially destroyed Aeon Mall building in Kashima, Kumamoto Prefecture, following reports of an explosion after an earthquake with a preliminary magnitude of 7.1 shook the southwestern Japan prefecture.