The agency upgraded the magnitude to 7.3 from an initial reading of 7.1. Compared to the quake that struck late on Thursday night just south of Mashiki, the most recent quake and aftershocks appeared to be moving east, spreading damage to the north-east.
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Chief cabinet secretary Yoshihide Suga, in an emergency news conference early on Saturday, said more than 300 calls came in to the Kumamoto police and another 100 to police in nearby Oita, seeking help and reporting people trapped or buried underneath debris.
Prime minister Shinzo Abe said damage from the quake could be extensive and urged rescue workers to do their utmost to help those trapped in the rubble.
Sirens of patrol vehicles could be heard in the background as NHK reported from Mashiki. The tarmac outside the town hall had a new crack, apparently made by the latest earthquake.
In the nearby city of Uto, police reported that the city hall appeared to be unsafe because of damage.
The Nuclear Regulation Authority said no abnormalities had been found at the Sendai nuclear plant, where the only two of Japan’s 43 operable reactors are online.
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Kumamoto bridge shakes as second earthquake hits Japan – video
NHK video showed that stones had tumbled from the walls of the historic Kumamoto Castle, and a wooden structure in the complex had been smashed, adding to damage caused on Thursday at the site.