Iran commiserates with Japan over deadly M7.1 Kumamoto earthquake
Iran has extended its deep condolences to Japan after the death toll from a powerful earthquake that hit the southwestern part of the East Asian country earlier this week reached 34.
In a statement on Thursday, Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi conveyed Tehran’s sincere sympathy to the Japanese government and nation, particularly to the grieving families of the quake victims.
He also prayed for eternal peace for the victims of the natural disaster, and for the reconstruction and restoration of affected areas as soon as possible.
According to local officials, the magnitude 7.1 earthquake that struck the Kumamoto area on the southern main island of Kyushu late Tuesday afternoon also left dozens of people injured, six of them seriously.
The epicenter of the earthquake was 20 kilometers (12 miles) south of Kumamoto City, which has a population of about 700,000.
Soldiers and rescue workers continue searching for people trapped in a badly damaged shopping mall and collapsed homes.
It is still unclear how many people might still be missing, with fears that the tally may continue to rise.
At least seven of the deaths were caused by an explosion that brought down a major shopping mall in the town of Kashima, while another eight died at a Nippon Paper Industries’ mill in the city of Yatsushiro, the Kumamoto Prefectural Government said on Thursday.
More than 10,000 people have evacuated from their homes, and more than 400 shelters have been set up following the quake.
As of Thursday morning, about 23,000 households were without electricity and some 75,000 households without water, according to the Kumamoto prefectural government, raising concerns about residents' well-being.
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