Searches Continue in Kumamoto after 72-Hour Window

Kumamoto, July 31 (Jiji Press)--Searches for people still missing after Tuesday's major earthquake in Kumamoto Prefecture, southwestern Japan, continued in extreme heat Friday even after the 72-hour window crucial for survival closed.

The death toll from the quake, which logged a seismic intensity of up to 7, the highest on the Japanese scale, reached 36, including two that may be linked to the disaster, according to the prefecture's disaster response headquarters.

At the Aeon Mall Kumamoto shopping facility, hit by an explosion just after the temblor, 12 people were rescued but seven of them were later confirmed dead. Police, Self-Defense Forces personnel and firefighters worked to remove debris at the mall, in the town of Kashima, looking for anyone who might still be trapped. Authorities were working to identify the seven who died at the shopping mall.

The headquarters has confirmed the identities of 27 of the total quake victims--20 in their 30s to 90s in the city of Yatsushiro, four in their 50s to 90s in the town of Hikawa, two in their 60s to 70s in the city of Uki and one in his 20s in the town of Kosa.

The extent of damage to housing became clearer, with 163 buildings completely destroyed in Hikawa, where the maximum seismic intensity reached 7. Some local governments began accepting applications for disaster damage certificates.

[Copyright The Jiji Press, Ltd.]