“A powerful magnitude-6.5 earthquake has hit Japan’s south-western island of Kyushu, collapsing homes, sparking fires, leaving at least nine people dead and injuring hundreds, government officials say, as the scramble continues to rescue people feared trapped in the rubble.
“Tens of thousands of people reportedly fled their homes and television footage showed damaged buildings, buckled roads and lumps of broken concrete in the streets.
“The Kyodo news agency said some 44,400 people had been evacuated and more than 100 aftershocks had been recorded since the quake.
“The Government said it had confirmed at least 761 people had been injured, at least 44 seriously.
“Some 1,600 military personnel were joined by nearly 2,000 police officers and more than 1,300 firefighters to help in the search and rescue efforts, Government spokesman Yoshihide Suga said.”
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