Police and military search teams launched an urgent search and rescue operation inside the severely damaged Aeon Mall in Kashima Town, Kumamoto Prefecture, following a magnitude 7.1 earthquake that struck southwestern Japan late Tuesday. Video released by Japan's National Police Agency revealed catastrophic structural damage inside the shopping complex, where the building's second floor partially collapsed and a subsequent gas-leak explosion trapped shoppers and employees. Emergency responders, firefighters, and Self Defense Forces personnel cordoned off surrounding roads to clear paths for emergency vehicles as teams scoured the debris in a "race against time" to locate survivors. Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi confirmed at least 13 deaths across the region as authorities investigate the extent of casualties and structural destruction.
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