Death toll from Japan’s Kumamoto earthquake rises to 30

The death toll from a magnitude 7.1 earthquake in Japan’s Kumamoto prefecture has risen to 30, according to Xinhua.

Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi said that as of 12:30 p.m. local time, the figure includes cases where it is still being determined whether the deaths were directly caused by the earthquake.

The quake struck on Tuesday, July 28, at 4:27 p.m. local time. Search and rescue operations remain ongoing in southwestern Japan, alongside efforts to assist those affected and assess the extent of the damage.

Earlier reports had put the number of fatalities at 13.

By Tamilla Hasanova