Image caption, An aerial view showing the damaged Aeon Mall shopping centre in Japan's Kashima Town Published 28 July 2026, 11:29 BST Updated 4 minutes ago Several people are trapped inside a shopping centre after a strong earthquake hit south-west Japan, officials say.
The quake hit inland on Kyushu island at 16:27 local time (07:27 GMT), with more than 150,000 people being told to move to evacuation shelters.
There was a brief tsunami warning that was lifted within the hour.
Japan is one of the world's most earthquake-prone countries, experiencing about 1,500 quakes a year.
The meteorological agency has warned of strong aftershocks given the shallow epicentre - 10km (six miles).
Footage aired by national broadcaster NHK already shows cracked roads and bridges and several buildings on fire.
"We are still assessing the extent of injuries and property damage, but I have been informed that there have already been several injuries," Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi said on Tuesday.
