Residents across Japan's southwestern prefecture of Kumamoto have begun piling up broken furniture, damaged appliances and other debris for collection, even as the region endures punishing heat. The magnitude 7.1 earthquake that struck Kyushu on Tuesday has left at least 38 people dead, including one person who died of apparent heat stroke while sheltering in a car, and another whose cause of death is still under investigation, officials said on Monday.
Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi made her first visit to the affected area on Monday, flying over the damage in an army helicopter before meeting with Kumamoto Governor Takashi Kimura. The governor stressed that the “abnormal heat” has compounded the already difficult conditions for residents, and he called for more government support to improve evacuation centres, many of which lack clean water and medical care.
“While taking into consideration the governor's requests, we will quickly examine what the government can do for the disaster-hit region and affected people and move proactively,” Takaichi said.
Heat and water shortages deepen crisis
More than 46,000 households remain without running water, and many areas face fuel shortages. The Japan Meteorological Agency predicted temperatures would climb close to 40°C on Monday, stoking fears of heat-related illness among vulnerable residents, particularly the elderly and those staying in makeshift shelters.
Over 8,500 people are still living in crowded emergency shelters, including community centres, school gyms and classrooms, many of which lack air-conditioning. Others are sleeping in cars at town hall parking lots and parks, or outside their damaged homes. Experts have long warned that inadequate shelter provision leads to overcrowding, poor sanitation and a lack of privacy for disaster victims.
Takaichi's visit to one of the region's best-equipped shelters—featuring cardboard beds, partitions and air-conditioning—drew criticism on social media, with some saying it gave a misleading impression of the conditions most evacuees face.
Recovery efforts begin in Uki and Hikawa
In the towns of Uki and Hikawa, construction of temporary housing has begun, and some hotels and inns are offering rooms to evacuees. The scale of destruction is immense: authorities say roughly 700 homes were destroyed and more than 11,300 buildings damaged across Kumamoto prefecture. The earthquake has also left 114 people injured.
The disaster has also raised troubling questions about corporate responsibility. A company that operated a general store inside the collapsed Aeon Mall in Kashima has acknowledged that it instructed two employees to return to the building to deposit sales proceeds into a safe. Both employees were killed in a subsequent explosion, which the mall operator believes was caused by a gas leak. The blast occurred after about 3,000 shoppers had been evacuated to a parking lot, but some staff remained inside. Rescuers recovered five people and the bodies of seven others from the mall.
At the wake of 22-year-old Kurumi Otake, one of the victims, two executives from the store operator Habita apologised to her parents. Company sales manager Goji Yuse admitted the instruction to retrieve the money was given, saying it was to be done “if it was possible.” Otake's mother, tearfully, told them: “I wish someone had stopped her. My daughter is not coming back.”
The earthquake in Kumamoto is a stark reminder of the seismic risks that also affect parts of Europe, from the recent tremors near Naples to the ongoing aftermath in Pozzuoli. While Japan's building codes and disaster preparedness are often cited as models, the challenges of heat, water and shelter provision highlight how even well-prepared societies struggle when disasters strike during extreme weather.
As cleanup continues, the immediate priority remains preventing further loss of life. With temperatures expected to stay high, authorities are urging residents to stay hydrated and to check on elderly neighbours. The government has pledged to accelerate support, but for many in Kumamoto, the road to recovery will be long and difficult.
