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Japan mall rebuilt after deadly 2016 earthquake destroyed in major temblor weeks after ‘fresh start’ reopening
A shopping mall in Kumamoto Prefecture, southern Japan, which had only just reopened after years of reconstruction following the devastating 2016 earthquake, was destroyed on Tuesday when a powerful new earthquake struck the region, followed by a large explosion. Dozens of workers at the site were left unaccounted for, and the incident is a bitter blow for a community that had held up the mall's reopening as a symbol of its long recovery.
The Aeon Mall had celebrated its grand reopening on 13 June, marking the culmination of years of rebuilding work after the original 2016 disaster devastated the region. Just weeks later, a magnitude 6.8 earthquake struck near Kumamoto, triggering an explosion at the mall and prompting a search for missing workers, though full details of casualties and the cause of the blast had not yet been confirmed.
In short
- Kumamoto's rebuilt Aeon Mall destroyed weeks after reopening
- Magnitude 6.8 earthquake triggered a major explosion
- Dozens of mall workers reported unaccounted for
Explained simply
Kumamoto Prefecture in southern Japan was struck by a devastating 6.2 magnitude earthquake in April 2016, which killed dozens of people and destroyed large swathes of the region. The Aeon Mall, a major shopping centre in the area, was among the buildings destroyed in the disaster.
After a decade of reconstruction efforts, the mall reopened on 13 June this year, representing a significant milestone in the community's long recovery from the disaster. Local residents and officials saw the reopening as a symbol of resilience and the region's ability to rebuild after the catastrophic event.
Japan lies on the Pacific Ring of Fire, an area prone to frequent and powerful earthquakes. The country has experience with earthquake preparedness and reconstruction, but the repeated destruction of key infrastructure demonstrates the ongoing vulnerability of such communities.