Home›Global Markets›Asia›Japan’s Aeon Mall Kumamoto reopens after quake rebuild…

Japan’s Aeon Mall Kumamoto reopens after quake rebuild, then suffers new 7.1 shock

The 7.1 earthquake comes after the mall was rebuilt and reopened in June, following a 2016 quake sequence that killed 273 people in Kumamoto.

Reported · Written up by our desk · Asia

Japan’s Aeon Mall Kumamoto was rebuilt to withstand earthquakes after it was damaged in strong quakes in April 2016, and it reopened in June as a fresh start for the Kashima town area. The mall had been reshaped under a “disaster-resistant shopping mall” effort, including strengthened ceilings and relocated lighting and equipment fixtures to reduce the risk of falling during seismic movements, according to the report.

The June reopening was intended to mark the 10th anniversary of the 2016 earthquake, with the complex positioned as the largest commercial facility in Kumamoto prefecture, featuring more than 200 shops, a food court, and a cinema complex. It was also promoted as a place for residents to come together again after the earlier disaster.

A new earthquake struck on Tuesday with a magnitude of 7.1, shaking the mall’s renewed confidence. The outlet notes that a 30-year-old resident said they quickly realized the epicenter was near when the quake hit again.

The story places the recent event in context of two quakes in 2016, at magnitudes 6.5 and 7.3, which killed 273 people in Kumamoto. It also describes the earlier impact on the mall, which had taken a severe hit in the aftermath and began reinforcement work after that quake sequence.

More like this

Sources