Rescuers search for survivors after a quake kills 18 in southwestern Japan

A magnitude 7.1 earthquake struck southwestern Japan, resulting in at least 23 deaths according to Kumamoto prefecture. Following the disaster, soldiers and emergency workers are actively searching for survivors among collapsed houses and a severely damaged shopping mall. Rescuers continue to comb through the debris to locate trapped individuals as the official casualty count rises. The operation focuses on critical infrastructure and residential areas heavily impacted by the powerful seismic activity in the region.