Deadly Earthquake in Japan Kills 34

The death toll from Tuesday’s earthquake in southwestern Japan rose to 34 on Thursday. Rescue crews worked through intense heat to find survivors still trapped under collapsed buildings. The earthquake was magnitude 6.8 and struck Kumamoto Prefecture on the island of Kyushu.

Much of the search has been focused on the collapsed second floor of a shopping center in the town of Kashima. Officials have confirmed that seven people died there and five others were pulled out alive. It remains unclear if more are buried in the rubble. Meanwhile, at a paper factory where a chimney collapsed, first responders recovered eight bodies and rescued two people. Crews are still looking for one more missing person at that site.

The quake also triggered fires in Kumamoto City and damaged homes and other buildings. About 100,000 households in the prefecture lost access to water, and about 20,000 lost electricity. Around 9,800 people are sheltering in evacuation centers.

As temperatures rise above 95 degrees Fahrenheit, Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi warns that the displaced face the risks of intense heat, such as heatstroke. She said providing safe and sanitary conditions at evacuation centers is now the biggest priority.