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UAE offers condolences to Japan over victims of deadly 7.1-magnitude quake
The tremor on the island of Kyushu left tens of thousands of residents without power and water
- PUBLISHED: Wed 29 Jul 2026, 2:57 PM
The United Arab Emirates has expressed its solidarity with Japan following the deadly 7.1-magnitude earthquake that struck the country and resulted in killing 13 people and injuring others, in addition to substantial damage to property.
In a statement, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MoFA) expressed its sincere condolences and sympathy to the families of the victims and to the government and people of Japan over this tragedy, as well as its wishes for a speedy recovery for the injured.
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The tremor on the island of Kyushu caused widespread damage on Tuesday, July 28, flattening homes, triggering fires and leaving tens of thousands of residents without power and water.
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On Wednesday, rescuers continued to battle through the tangled wreckage of a Japanese shopping mall, searching for any trapped survivors after the powerful shake.
Around 50 minutes after the earthquake, a massive explosion ripped through a mall in the southwestern Kumamoto region, where in 2016 twin quakes killed nearly 300 people.
Akio Yoshida, the president of mall operator Aeon, said three people died at the facility in the town of Kashima, with one more fatality feared and three others missing.
Five people were also confirmed killed and four others were unaccounted for at the Nippon Paper Industries factory in Yatsushiro city, where part of a red-and-white smokestack collapsed, a government official told AFP.
Government spokesman Minoru Kihara said that as of early Wednesday more than 9,000 people had sought refuge in 506 shelters in three regions of Kyushu Island.
The Japanese archipelago, home to around 125 million people, typically experiences hundreds of jolts every year and accounts for about 18 percent of the world's earthquakes.
Yasmin Hussein is an Assistant Digital Editor who believes that every news story carries a human element. Her motto is 'get it first, but first get it right'.