The death toll from a powerful earthquake in southwestern Japan has risen to 34, local authorities confirmed on Friday. The 7.1-magnitude quake struck near Uki city on Kyushu island on Tuesday. Kumamoto prefectural authorities said six additional people were seriously injured in the disaster.

About 40,000 households lost electricity, rail services were widely disrupted, and emergency tsunami warnings were issued across southern areas of Japan. Nearly half of the deaths occurred in two major incidents: the collapse of an administrative structure at a Nippon Paper Industries paper mill and a possible gas explosion at an Aeon store.

Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi urged local residents to remain alert for the possibility of stronger aftershocks. Severe heat has also caused an acute shortage of food and drinking water in affected areas, disrupting rescue work and the delivery of relief supplies. Japan is among the world's most earthquake-prone countries; nearly a decade ago, a devastating earthquake in the Kumamoto region killed 275 people.