The death toll from a powerful earthquake in south-western Japan has risen to 34 as rescuers continue searching damaged buildings, including a shopping centre affected by an explosion. The disaster has caused extensive disruption in Kumamoto Prefecture and left authorities racing to find any remaining survivors.

The earthquake struck Kyushu on Tuesday and was initially reported as magnitude 7.1. Thousands of households remained without electricity or running water, while many residents were sheltering in evacuation centres or vehicles during intense summer heat; officials were still assessing the full scale of damage and whether further deaths were linked to the quake.