Jul 30, Kathmandu - Rescue efforts have been intensified following a devastating earthquake in the Kumamoto region of Japan, with the death toll rising to 28, according to officials.

A gas explosion at the Aon Shopping Mall resulted in the recovery of four bodies from the rubble. Among those rescued from the debris, four have died and five are injured.

In Yatsushiro, five fatalities have been confirmed at the Nippon Paper Factory, with four individuals still missing. 

According to the US Geological Survey, the earthquake registered a magnitude of 6.8. The tremor caused significant damage to homes and bridges, leaving thousands without electricity and water.

Japan, located in the Pacific "Ring of Fire," is known as one of the most seismically active countries in the world, making such natural calamities a recurring threat.