7.1 Quake Strikes Kumamoto at Japan's Top Intensity, Trapping Mall Shoppers

A 7.1-magnitude earthquake struck Kumamoto, Japan, on July 28, 2026, at 10km depth. It registered Shindo 7 — the ceiling of Japan's shaking-intensity scale. An Aeon Mall's second floor collapsed in Kashima town, trapping many. Fires, cracked roads, and halted rail and flights followed. A tsunami warning was issued, then rescinded. PM Takaichi assembled an emergency response team.