Kyushu Earthquake Shakes Japan, 150,000 Evacuated

Mon Sep 14 2026 14:59:11 GMT+0000 (Coordinated Universal Time)

A 7.2-scale quake rattles Kyushu island, prompting evacuations, power outages and damage to historic structures.

On July 28 a powerful earthquake struck Japan’s Kyushu island, forcing more than 150,000 people to evacuate. The tremor caused power cuts to 40,000 households, damaged roads, toppled part of a castle wall and destroyed a footbridge. In Kumamoto prefecture a chimney at a paper factory collapsed, leaving workers missing. Authorities urge residents to stay alert for aftershocks and follow evacuation routes, while rescue crews search for the missing.

Kyushu Earthquake Shakes Japan, 150,000 Evacuated

On Tuesday July 28, a powerful 7.2-scale earthquake struck the island of Kyushu, prompting more than 150,000 people to evacuate nearby towns and villages.

The tremor triggered a cascade of emergencies: power cuts affected about 40,000 households, roads were damaged, and a section of a historic castle wall collapsed. A footbridge across a river also fell into the water.

In Kumamoto prefecture, a chimney at a paper factory collapsed, leaving several workers missing. Police are conducting search operations as the situation remains fluid.

National and local authorities have issued warnings to residents to stay alert for aftershocks and to follow evacuation routes. Updates will continue as the recovery effort unfolds.