Magnitude 7.1 quake kills at least 23 in Kumamoto prefecture

A magnitude 7.1 earthquake struck Kumamoto prefecture on July 29, 2026, killing at least 23 people and leaving others trapped under rubble, according to NPR.

Kumamoto prefecture is on Kyushu, Japan's southern main island. The death toll stood at 13 initially, the BBC and the Financial Times reported, before climbing to at least 23 by July 30, 2026.

Rescue teams were still working across the Kumamoto area on July 30, NPR said, though hopes of finding survivors were fading. Japan's Takaichi called the effort a "Race against time."