At least 13 people have died after a powerful 7.1-magnitude earthquake struck southwestern Japan on Tuesday, with rescue teams continuing efforts to reach people believed to be trapped under the rubble of a shopping mall.

The earthquake hit at 4:27 pm local time, causing widespread damage to roads and buildings and leaving thousands of households without electricity.

Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi said rescue operations were ongoing as emergency responders searched for survivors in the worst-affected areas.

The Japan Meteorological Agency warned of the possibility of stronger aftershocks, noting that the quake’s epicentre was only 10 kilometres below the surface.

Kumamoto Prefecture was among the hardest-hit areas, where authorities said 9,872 people had been evacuated to emergency shelters. Around 36,700 households in the region remained without power.

Japan, one of the world’s most seismically active countries, experiences around 1,500 felt earthquakes each year.

FP/A