Many trapped in shopping mall as earthquake rocks Japan

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The exterior wall of a shop is seen collapsed in an earthquake, in Kumamoto City on July 28, 2026. (Photo by JIJI Press / AFP) / Japan OUT

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“Many people” were trapped inside a shopping mall damaged in a major earthquake Tuesday in southwestern Japan, emergency services said.

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In “Kashima town, a shopping complex’s second floor collapsed, leaving many people trapped inside,” the fire department said in a statement.

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Police said earlier they had received reports of what sounded like an explosion at the Aeon Mall outlet in the Kumamoto region, with no information on damage or any casualties.

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AFP

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