Following the July 28 earthquake that brought violent shaking with a maximum of 7 on the Japanese seismic intensity scale in Kumamoto Prefecture, the prefectural disaster response headquarters announced that as of 14:00 on July 31, 35 people had been confirmed dead. Large-scale damage occurred, including the explosion of the Aeon Mall in Kashima, and a chimney collapse of the Nippon Paper Industries mill in Yatsushiro. Essential utilities such as water and electricity are also being disrupted.

Japanese media footage from inside the shopping centre showed part of the ceiling had collapsed, with metal fragments and other debris scattered across the floor as helmeted, masked rescue workers searched the area.

Police and SDF personnel were continuing to search for one worker in the debris at the Nippon Paper mill in Yatsushiro, where a chimney collapsed. Of the 10 others who were trapped, eight died and two were injured.

In the first reported death of a foreign national, a Vietnamese technical intern was killed after a crane fell on him at the factory where he worked, according to the Vietnamese government.

While there have been reports of severed roads and collapsed buildings across the region, the full extent of the damage remains unclear. Police, fire, and Self-Defense Forces personnel are assessing the situation as they search for missing people.

Data from the Japan Meteorological Agency shows that more than 200 aftershocks occurred within 24 hours of the main earthquake. The agency urges people to remain on high alert, stating: "It is common for strong tremors with a seismic intensity of up to 7 to take place in the week following an earthquake, particularly during the first two or three days."

Extreme summer heat in Kumamoto, combined with fractured water pipes and a lack of electricity for air conditioning, are leading to concerns that the quake-related casualty figures may rise still further as dehydration and heatstroke take their toll.