Missing persons reported at Japanese paper factory following Kumamoto earthquake
Structural damage including a chimney collapse recorded at the facility as authorities respond to the Reiwa 8 Kumamoto Earthquake.
The Yatsushiro Police Station has reported that multiple individuals are unaccounted for at the Nippon Paper Yatsushiro factory in Kumamoto Prefecture. The report follows a strong earthquake that struck the region, causing significant structural damage to the industrial facility.
According to police, the factory sustained damage that included the collapse of a chimney. The area recorded a strong Shindo 6 seismic intensity, part of the broader seismic event known as the Reiwa 8 Kumamoto Earthquake. The exact number of missing persons has not been specified, with authorities describing the figure only as multiple.
The status of the unaccounted individuals remains unclear, with no details provided regarding whether they are trapped, injured, or have evacuated. Police have not yet confirmed the full extent of the structural damage to the factory beyond the reported chimney collapse.
The incident occurs amidst widespread disruption across Kyushu. Major transport and industrial operations have been suspended in response to the tremors. JR Kyushu has halted all train services across the island, while major manufacturing plants, including Toyota facilities in Fukuoka and a Honda plant in Kumamoto, have stopped operations.
A tsunami advisory was also issued for the Ariake and Yatsushiro Sea areas following the earthquake. While other parts of Kumamoto Prefecture experienced Shindo 7 intensity, the precise number of casualties and the full scope of the disaster remain under assessment by local authorities.
