Earthquake levels buildings in Japan, ‘many deaths’ reported (VIDEOS)

The quake destroyed a shopping mall in the city of Kumamoto, trapping shoppers under rubble A magnitude 7.1 earthquake has struck Kumamoto Prefecture in Japan’s southern Kyushu region, causing extensive damage and killing “a considerable number of people,” according to local media. The quake struck just before 4:30 PM local time on Tuesday, with its epicenter around 20 km south of Kumamoto, a city of 700,000 people. Video footage showed roads cracking, bridges collapsing, and buildings swaying as the tremor hit.Police responded to reports of an explosion at Aeon Mall in Kumamoto, and found that the building’s second floor had collapsed. Japan’s TBS broadcaster said that a “considerable number” of people were killed in the collapse, while emergency services said that “many people” were trapped under the rubble.“We are still assessing the extent of injuries and property damage, but I have been informed that there have already been several injuries,” Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi said in a statement. Takaichi said that 3,600 soldiers would be deployed to clear rubble and search for survivors.🇯🇵: Explosion at Aeon Mall Kumamoto Traps People After Major Japan 7.1 QuakeOn July 2...