A freight train derailed and overturned following the 7.1-magnitude earthquake that struck south-west Japan. High-speed train services and numerous regional services have been suspended, and rail operators are checking the infrastructure. The latest figures indicate at least 13 deaths and numerous injuries.
The earthquake struck on Tuesday, 28 July, at 16:27 local time, with its epicentre in Kumamoto Prefecture on the island of Kyushu, at a depth of approximately 10 km. The quake reached a maximum of 7 on the Japanese seismic intensity scale.
Shortly after the main tremor, over 100 aftershocks were recorded, and the authorities have warned that strong earthquakes and landslides may also occur in the coming days.
The locomotive and four railcars derailed
The rail incident occurred within the grounds of Yatsushiro station, situated on the Kagoshima Main Line.
According to the national rail freight operator JR Freight, the locomotive and four railcars overturned, whilst a fifth railcar derailed. No injuries were reported as a result of the accident.
The train was stationary at the time of the earthquake, and there were no people in the locomotive or the railcars, according to reports in the Japanese press.
Footage taken after the earthquake shows the locomotive and the railcars lying on their sides next to the tracks at the station.
Freight rail traffic remains suspended
JR Freight has suspended freight train services on several sections in the south of Kyushu.
On 29 July, services were suspended on the Kagoshima Main Line between Tosu Freight Terminal and Yatsushiro, as well as between Sendai and Kagoshima Freight Terminal. Services were also suspended between Yatsushiro and Sendai on the infrastructure of Hisatsu Orange Railway.
The Japanese operator stated that inspection and repair work would take time, and was unable to give a date for the resumption of services on these sections at this stage.
High-speed trains have been halted
Immediately after the earthquake, the passenger rail operator JR Kyushu suspended services on Shinkansen high-speed trains and conventional trains in the affected areas.
Several passengers on board high-speed trains at the time of the earthquake were injured, according to information provided by the operators and reported by Reuters.
On Wednesday, JR Kyushu scheduled the resumption of a limited number of Shinkansen services between Hakata and Chikugo-Funagoya. However, services were to remain suspended between Chikugo-Funagoya and Kumamoto, as well as between Kumamoto and Kagoshima-Chūō.
Several regional and express trains were cancelled for the whole day, including on the Kagoshima, Hōhi and Misumi lines, to allow for checks on the tracks and railway infrastructure.
At least 13 dead and thousands evacuated
The latest figures from the authorities indicate at least 13 deaths, several people missing and numerous injuries. Around 260,000 residents were ordered to evacuate.
Buildings, roads and bridges have been damaged, and over 36,000 homes were still without electricity on Wednesday. Rescue teams are searching for survivors, including in the ruins of a shopping centre near the city of Kumamoto, where an explosion occurred following the earthquake.
Several factories in the region have suspended operations, and Kumamoto Airport has been temporarily closed. The Japanese authorities initially issued a warning of a possible tsunami wave of up to one metre, which was subsequently withdrawn.
No irregularities have been reported at the region’s nuclear power stations.
Kumamoto Prefecture was also hit in 2016 by a series of devastating earthquakes, which killed 275 people and damaged thousands of buildings.
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