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The death toll from a powerful 7.1-magnitude earthquake that struck near the southern Japanese city of Kumamoto has risen to 13, as emergency crews continue searching for survivors trapped beneath collapsed buildings.

According to Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi, rescue operations are underway following the devastating quake, with teams working around the clock to reach those still buried under the rubble, including victims trapped inside a collapsed shopping mall.

“Even now, there are people waiting to be rescued, and this is a race against time. We will marshal all available resources on the ground to save and rescue as many people as possible,” Takaichi told reporters in Tokyo on Wednesday.

The earthquake struck a day earlier near Kumamoto, causing widespread structural damage and prompting a large-scale emergency response. Authorities have warned that the casualty count could rise as search and rescue efforts continue.