The damage from an earthquake that hit southwest Japan is becoming clearer. The 6.8 magnitude quake collapsed buildings and sparked fires on Tuesday afternoon. Multiple people were trapped in a mall that collapsed during the quake, according to local rescue officials.

Public broadcaster NHK reported that at least 50 people were taken to hospitals.

The earthquake struck near Kumamoto on the island of Kyushu, and a tsunami advisory was temporarily issued.

The Japan Meteorological Agency said the advisory covered the nearby Ariake and Yatsushiro Seas on the western coasts of Kumamoto, Nagasaki, Fukuoka and Saga prefectures about 900 kilometers (560 miles) southwest of Tokyo. The advisories were lifted within two hours.

The U.S. Geological Survey initially said the earthquake had a magnitude of 7.1, later revising it to 6.8. It struck at 4:27 p.m. local time (3:27 a.m. EDT).

Japan’s Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi, in a message posted on X, urged residents to avoid the coastline. She said her government has set up a task force to gather information, assess possible damage and prepare for rescue operations if needed.

The second floor of the Aeon Mall in Kashima, in the Kumamoto region, appeared to have collapsed in the quake.

In "Kashima town, a shopping complex's second floor collapsed, leaving many people trapped inside," the Fire Department said in a statement. Police said earlier they had received reports of what sounded like an explosion at the mall, CBS News reported.

Takaichi later told reporters that there have been reports of a number of injuries and damages to roads, bridges and buildings, as well as blackouts and fire. Takaichi warned people cooking to be careful with fire and with shards of broken glass. There were also local reports of people being trapped in collapsed buildings.

Video and photos shared on social media showed people taking cover as buildings shook during the earthquake. There were also several strong aftershocks, with one registering a magnitude of 5.6, according to the USGS.

The Japan Times reported that more than 48,000 homes had lost power.

Damage being assessed

Japan’s Fire and Disaster Management Agency said there were no reports of damage to major public facilities and infrastructure in the region, though authorities were still assessing the extent of damage.

Japan’s Nuclear Regulation Authority said no abnormalities were found at three nearby nuclear power plants from the temblor.

Shinkansen bullet trains and local trains in Kyushu have been suspended temporarily for safety checks, while the runway at the Aso Kumamoto Airport was closed following the earthquake, with “no prospect of resuming operations” according to a notice on the airport's website.

Kumamoto was hit with a deadly quake in 2016 that left more than 50 people dead, 1,800 injured and tens of thousands of homes damaged or destroyed.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.