A powerful 7.1-magnitude earthquake struck Japan's Kumamoto Prefecture on Tuesday, injuring at least 50 people, trapping several inside a partially collapsed shopping mall, and widespread disruption across southern Japan.
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Fire officials said multiple people were trapped inside an Aeon shopping mall after the reported explosion, as per Reuters. An Aeon spokesperson said customers and staff were evacuated immediately following the initial quake, but the cause of the subsequent explosion was still unknown.
Broadcaster TBS reported that police feared "quite a few" people may have died, although officials have not yet confirmed the number of casualties.
