Japan earthquake death toll rises to at least 18 as rescuers search for missing people in damaged mall and factory

A powerful earthquake that rocked southern Japan has killed at least 18 people, officials said, as search teams continued efforts to locate residents still missing after major damage at a shopping mall and a nearby paper factory, CBS News reported on July 29.

CBS News said the quake’s toll continued to climb as responders assessed damage and recovered additional bodies. Beyond the confirmed deaths, the report described people still unaccounted for inside or near damaged structures, particularly at the affected shopping mall.

The damaged shopping mall and the paper factory, both hit by the quake, were among the areas where authorities focused rescue and recovery operations. Search activities were complicated by structural damage and the need to ensure safety for responders and nearby residents.

The CBS News report said the missing people were last known to have been in the impacted locations as officials worked through identification processes for those whose remains were recovered. Authorities continued coordination between emergency services and local officials as they tried to determine how many people were unaccounted for and whether they could be reached.

In the wake of the earthquake, Japanese authorities and local governments have been managing the aftermath, including maintaining public safety measures around damaged sites and supporting emergency shelters and other community needs where residents displaced by the disaster.

As of the reporting time, the key focus remained on locating the missing and expanding the scope of inspections to determine how widely the quake’s effects spread across the affected area. Officials also continued efforts to confirm casualty numbers and reconcile reports from residents and facilities with on-the-ground findings.

With the death toll at least 18 and additional missing persons still being sought, the next phase will likely depend on the pace of searches at the damaged mall and factory sites and subsequent updates from local emergency authorities on confirmed deaths and verified missing-person lists.