Japan's Strong Buildings Survived a Major Earthquake — But Lives Were Lost

On July 28, 2026, a powerful earthquake hit Kumamoto, Japan — the strongest level on the country's shaking-intensity scale. Five people died and nine workers went missing after a factory chimney fell. About 50,000 homes lost power and 140,000 lost water. Few buildings collapsed overall, which the Guardian linked to Japan's rules requiring structures to withstand earthquakes.