What was thought to be the strongest quake in Kyushu, registering the maximum intensity on the Japanese shindo seismic scale, turned out to be a preshock of the earthquake that rocked Kumamoto on Saturday morning. The magnitude-7.3 quake and continuous series of aftershocks triggered a number of landslides as well as the collapse and cracking of major roadways in the mountainous region of Minamiaso.
The death toll from both quakes currently stands at 41 people, with at least 11 missing.
Saturday morning Prime Minister Shinzo Abe said, due to the approach of heavy rain, there would be "not a moment spare," in the rescue efforts to save people trapped in collapsed buildings and to move the survivors to evacuation centers.
Here is a selection of photos documenting the extensive damage, the rescue efforts and the difficult situation facing thousands of local residents who have had to leave their homes.
This image can no longer be displayedThis image can no longer be displayedMembers of rescue team and their dogs patrol the homes around Mashiki, Kumamoto Prefecture on Sataurday, following a series of strong earthquakes that began on April 14. | AFP-JIJIA man clears the debris of a broken wall in Mashiki, Kumamoto Prefecture on Saturday. | AFP-JIJIA member of a rescue team runs on a cracked street in Mashiki, Kumamoto Prefecture on Saturday. | AFP-JIJIThis image can no longer be displayedThis image can no longer be displayedThis image can no longer be displayedThis image can no longer be displayedThis image can no longer be displayedEvacuees queue for food supplies at an entrance of the Kumamoto City Hall on Saturday. | AFP-JIJILocal residents wait in line for food and goods at a distribution center in Mashiki, Kumamoto Prefecture as storm clouds gather on Saturday. | APThis image can no longer be displayed
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