Earthquake strikes Japan's Kyushu island, killing dozens

A powerful earthquake has hit central Kyushu island in Japan, killing at least 17 people and injuring many more. The quake measured magnitude 7.1 and reached the highest level on Japan's intensity scale. A strong aftershock followed later the same day. Nearly 50,000 households lost electricity and 140,000 lost access to water. Many people chose to sleep in their cars because they were afraid of more aftershocks. Rescue teams, including military personnel, have been working to help survivors. The situation is made harder by the heat. Temperatures are expected to rise above 30 degrees Celsius with high humidity, which raises the risk of heatstroke for people without shelter. Kumamoto, the nearest large city, has a population of around 700,000 people.