At least 13 people were killed after a powerful 7.1-magnitude earthquake struck Japan's southwestern Kumamoto region on Tuesday, flattening buildings and trapping people under collapsed structures as rescue teams raced to find survivors.The earthquake struck the Kumamoto region on the southern island of Kyushu at around 4.27 pm local time, causing widespread damage to buildings, roads, factories and public infrastructure."Even now, there are people waiting to be rescued, and this is a race ‌against time. We will marshal all available resources on the ground to save and rescue as many people as possible," Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi told reporters on Wednesday.

In a post on X, Takaichi said the quake caused building collapses, road damage, fires and casualties. She said the government set up an emergency task force at 6.20 pm and held its first response meeting at 7.49 pm.The prime minister also expressed condolences to the families of those killed and said authorities were working to restore electricity and water supplies while tackling the risk of heatstroke in evacuation centres.

Videos capture terrifying moments

Videos circulating on social media captured the violent shaking as the earthquake struck.One widely shared video showed a motorcycle and a car being tossed on a bridge in Kashima Town during the tremors. Other videos showed buildings shaking violently and panicked residents running to safety.The second floor of the Aeon Mall in Kashima Town collapsed, trapping several people inside, according to local fire officials.Videos from the scene also showed an explosion at the shopping complex. Authorities are investigating whether the blast was caused by a gas leak, the Associated Press reported.

According to Aeon Co., the explosion occurred after customers and employees had evacuated the mall. Prefectural police said around 200 people escaped before the blast.However, Japan's Fire and Disaster Management Agency said the building's second floor collapsed, raising fears that more people remained trapped inside.

A person who contacted a stranded employee was told that several people were still awaiting rescue, Kyodo News reported.

9,000 in evacuation centres; workers trapped

At Nippon Paper Industries' Yatsushiro factory, a chimney collapsed, trapping workers beneath the rubble. According to AP, rescuers recovered two survivors and two bodies by Wednesday morning, while seven people were still believed to be trapped.More than 9,000 people spent the night in evacuation centres as rescue operations continued."We have received reports of seven people with serious injuries and 29 with minor injuries. Furthermore, as of 7:00 am today (2200 GMT Tuesday), 9,186 people have sought refuge in 506 evacuation centers across five prefectures, including Kumamoto and Fukuoka," government spokesman Minoru Kihara said.

Japanesev defence minister Shinjiro Koizumi said about 3,600 self-defense forces personnel had been deployed across the disaster-hit region to assist firefighters and emergency crews in search-and-rescue operations.The military is also helping deliver drinking water, transport patients and distribute food and other essential supplies to affected communities.

Transport disrupted

The affected area lies around 900 kilometres southwest of Tokyo. The runway at Aso Kumamoto Airport was closed as officials assessed the damage.

A train derailed and toppled onto its side at Yatsushiro Station, while stone walls at the historic Kumamoto Castle, still undergoing restoration after the devastating 2016 earthquake were damaged again.According to Kyodo News, hospitals in Yatsushiro and Kumamoto treated dozens of injured people. Several major manufacturers temporarily halted operations on Tuesday but reported no significant damage and planned to resume production on Wednesday.

Japan's Nuclear Regulation Authority said inspections found no abnormalities at three nearby nuclear power plants. Japan Meteorological Agency official Shinji Kiyomoto urged residents to remain alert, warning that strong aftershocks could continue over the next two to three days.A powerful earthquake that struck Kumamoto in 2016 killed at least 50 people.