Rescuers scramble for survivors after deadly quake hits Japan

MASHIKI: Rescuers were rifling through the remains of collapsed buildings in southern Japan on Friday, after a powerful earthquake left at least nine people dead and injured hundreds, sparking fires and buckling roads. Tens of thousands of people fled their homes after the 6.5-magnitude quake struck the southwestern island of Kyushu on Thursday night, leaving lumps of broken concrete strewn in the streets. Houses collapsed, factories stopped work and a high-speed train was de-railed, while the roof of the treasured Kumamoto castle in the southern city of the same name was also damaged. Damaged roof tiles and walls at Kumamoto castle on April 15, 2016, after strong 6.4-magnitude earthquake hit Japan’s southwestern island of Kyushu "There was a ka-boom and the whole house shook violently sideways," Takahiko Morita, a resident of nearby town Mashiki, said in a telephone interview with public broadcaster NHK. "Furniture and bookshelves fell down, and books were all over the floor." Dozens of aftershocks followed the quake, which hit about 9:26 pm (1226 GMT) on Thursday evening, and officials warned the death toll could rise as rescuers scoured the collapsed structures. As rescue workers toiled through the night, an eight-month-old baby girl was pulled from the rubble alive and unharmed, NHK reported. "As far as we can tell from infrared images from a police helicopter, there appears to be a significant number of houses destroyed or half-collapsed," said disaster minister Taro Kono. "There are fears the number of injured could rise." Rescuers are concentrating their searches in Mashiki, a town near the epicentre of the quake where the most deaths have been recorded. On the streets, the remains of collapsed Japanese-style houses -- many of then aged, wooden structures -- could be seen, and damaged roof tiles lay in piles. Scores of people spent the night huddled in front of the town hall, some in tears, while others wrapped themselves in blankets to ward off the nighttime chill. Residents form a queue to receive meals from defense forces soldiers at Mashiki town hall in Kumamoto prefecture, on April 15, 2016, after a strong 6.4-magnitude earthquake "I’m so scared of the aftershocks that I cannot sleep," 94-year-old Tomiko Takahashi told Jiji Press. By Friday morning, the government said it had confirmed at least 860 people had been injured, at least 53 seriously. An official from the local Kumamoto disaster agency said at least nine were dead. "We are combing through Mashiki where the damage was serious to see if there are any people who are still seeking rescue," said government spokesman Yoshihide Suga. Gen Aoki, a Japan Meteorological Agency seismologist, urged residents to be on guard for more aftershocks and warned rain in coming days could make the situation worse. Smoke rises from burnt houses in the town of Mashiki, Kumamoto prefecture, early on April 15, 2016, after strong 6.4-magnitude earthquake hit Japan’s southwestern island of Kyushu "Please do not go near damaged houses and structures that are about to collapse," he said at an early morning briefing. About 57,000 households in Kumamoto prefecture have been left without water, according to local government figures. Nuclear plants in the region were unaffected, but several major manufacturers including Honda, Bridgestone, and Sony said they had suspended operations at factories in the area. Train services on Kyushu were temporarily halted after Thursday’s earthquake and a super fast bullet train derailed -- luckily while it was empty -- said Yusuke Nanri, a spokesman for operator JR Kyushu. Japan’s meteorological agency officer Gen Aoki speaks during a press conference on a strong 6.5-magnitude earthquake in Japan’s southwestern island of Kyushu, at the agency s headquarters in Tokyo on April 14, 2016 Some 1,600 military personnel were joined by nearly 2,000 police officers and more than 1,300 firefighters to help in the search and rescue efforts, Suga said early Friday. The initial quake, which struck at a shallow depth of 10 kilometres (6.2 miles), was followed two and a half hours later by another measuring 6.4 magnitude, according to Japan’s meteorological agency. The US Geological Survey measured it a smaller 6.2 magnitude. In total, more than 100 earthquakes rocked the region after the first hit, and officials warned the could continue for a week or so. ...Agencies -