Death toll from Kumamoto earthquake rises to 30, Japanese PM says

TOKYO, July 30 (Xinhua) -- Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi said Thursday that the death toll from the recent powerful earthquake in Kumamoto Prefecture has risen to 30.

This photo taken on July 30, 2026 shows the collapsed stone wall of Kumamoto Castle after an earthquake in Kumamoto Prefecture, Japan. Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi said Thursday that the death toll from the recent powerful earthquake in Kumamoto Prefecture has risen to 30. (Photo: Xinhua)

Speaking at a meeting of the government's emergency disaster management headquarters, Takaichi said the figure, as of 12:30 p.m. local time, included people whose deaths are still under investigation to determine whether they were directly related to the 7.1-magnitude tremor.

An earthquake with a magnitude of 7.1 struck Kumamoto Prefecture at 4:27 p.m. local time on Tuesday. Authorities continue rescue and relief operations in the southwestern prefecture as they assess the extent of damage caused by Tuesday's earthquake.