Emergency crews in Japan continued search and rescue operations on Thursday as the death toll from this week’s powerful earthquake climbed to 28, with hopes fading of finding more survivors trapped beneath a collapsed shopping mall.

Authorities confirmed the updated death toll as rescue teams recovered four bodies from the wreckage of the Aeon shopping mall in Kumamoto, where a suspected gas explosion occurred after Tuesday’s magnitude 7.1 earthquake.

Disaster officials said 10 people have been pulled from the rubble at the shopping centre. Four were confirmed dead, one remained without vital signs, while five others sustained injuries ranging from minor to serious.

The earthquake caused extensive destruction across the region, bringing down homes, damaging bridges and sparking fires. Tens of thousands of residents remain without electricity and water as authorities warn temperatures could reach 38 degrees Celsius over the weekend, adding to the challenges facing rescue and recovery efforts.

Source: CNA