Japan ends rescue at quake-hit shopping centre after explosion kills 7

Japan’s Kumamoto prefectural government has officially ended rescue operations at an Aeon shopping centre in southwestern Japan, four days after a magnitude 7.1 earthquake struck the region. The decision follows a tragic explosion at the site that resulted in the deaths of seven workers.

Local authorities confirmed the conclusion of the search and rescue efforts after determining that all individuals had been accounted for, allowing officials to transition away from immediate emergency response at the damaged commercial facility.