At least 13 people were killed after a powerful magnitude 7.1 earthquake struck the Kumamoto area of Kyushu, Japan’s main southern island, on Tuesday afternoon. Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi announced the death toll. More than 36,000 households remained without electricity, while the affected area lies about 900 kilometres southwest of Tokyo.

Takaichi said rescue operations for missing people continued after overnight efforts. Many people were injured and several remained missing, she said. Japan’s Fire and Disaster Management Agency advised more than 260,000 people to move to safer locations, most of them in Kumamoto Prefecture. Evacuation instructions were also issued in neighbouring Nagasaki Prefecture.

According to an AP report, part of a shopping centre collapsed after the earthquake, with a gas leak initially suspected as the cause. Fire department information said several people were trapped when the second floor of Aeon Mall in Kashima city collapsed. A large chimney also fell at Nippon Paper Industries’ Yatsushiro plant, and Kumamoto emergency rescue teams said several people were trapped beneath the debris.