Kumamoto Earthquake Death Toll Rises to 38 Amid Extreme Heat

The death toll from the magnitude 7.1 earthquake that struck Kumamoto Prefecture has reached 38 people. Local officials reported the first suspected disaster related death on Sunday: a woman in her 70s who died of suspected heatstroke while sleeping in her car. The vehicle had run out of gasoline, causing the air conditioning to stop. Other fatalities include nine people at a Nippon Paper Industries plant in Yatsushiro, seven at a shopping mall in Kashima following an explosion, and a man in his 80s who was crushed by a collapsing wall at an Aeon mall in Uki. Among the deceased was Tran Van Son, a 24 year old Vietnamese technical intern who died of head injuries at his workplace.

Extreme temperatures have complicated recovery efforts, with熊本市 recording 38.9 degrees Celsius on August 2. Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi is scheduled to visit the prefecture on August 3 to inspect shelters and disaster areas that experienced the maximum seismic intensity level of 7. Currently, more than 8,000 people remain in evacuation shelters, and approximately 4,000 homes have been damaged. The prefectural government has announced that secondary evacuations to hotels and inns will begin on August 3, and construction of emergency temporary housing will start in Uki and Hikawa.

Geological analysis by Professor Shinji Toda of Tohoku University suggests that the quake, likely caused by the Hinagu fault zone, may have increased strain on surrounding areas. This shift could make future earthquakes more likely in the Yatsushiro Sea section and the Unzen fault zone. Meanwhile, volunteer activities are beginning in towns such as Mashiki and Uki, with the Social Welfare Council requesting that volunteers pre register via their website.