Search operations continue as death toll mounts from Japan earthquake

Rescue workers in Japan's Kumamoto Prefecture are continuing search and extraction efforts following a magnitude 7.1 earthquake that hit the southern island of Kyushu. Fatality reports vary among media outlets, placing the confirmed death toll between 14 and 18, while at least 50 people are injured and nearly 8,800 residents have been evacuated.

Emergency personnel remain focused on a damaged shopping centre where an explosion occurred, leaving approximately 20 employees unaccounted for. Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi stated that emergency services are engaged in "a race against time" and committed to deploying all available resources to locate survivors.

In a separate geological event, China's seismological center reported two moderate earthquakes with magnitudes of 5.7 and 5.8 striking the northwestern province of Qinghai.

Sources: Beta, HRT Vijesti, N1