Japan's PM Takaichi says 13 dead in Kumamoto quake, calls rescue 'race against time'

Japanese Prime Minister Takaichi Sanae said 13 people had been confirmed dead as of 8:30 a.m. Wednesday following a magnitude-7.1 earthquake that struck near Uki in Kumamoto Prefecture, western Kyushu.

Takaichi held an emergency press conference Wednesday morning to brief reporters on the scale of the damage.

She said the quake had caused widespread destruction beyond the loss of life, including building collapses, fires and road damage.

Takaichi offered condolences to the victims and expressed sympathy to bereaved families and the injured.

"There are still residents waiting to be rescued, and the rescue operation is a race against time," she said. "The government will work in close coordination with local police and fire authorities to do everything in our power to save every single life we can."

She also said large-scale power outages and water supply disruptions had hit the affected areas, and pledged to concentrate all available resources on restoring key infrastructure, including electricity and water.

Takaichi urged rescue workers and residents in the disaster zone to take special precautions against heat-related illness, and added that the government was working to ensure the supply of daily necessities, emergency generators and cooling equipment.

The Japanese government's emergency disaster response headquarters, established after the quake struck Tuesday and convened for its first meeting that night, was set to resume at 1:30 p.m. Wednesday.