At least 9 dead following strong earthquake in Japan

At least nine people are dead following a magnitude 6 earthquake that hit southwestern Japan on Thursday.

Local media reports that at least one person was crushed by a collapsing building, and at least 400 people are being treated at local hospitals. The U.S. Geological Survey says the quake struck seven miles east of the city of Kumamoto, and the Nuclear Regulation Authority reports that there are no problems at three area power plants.

In Mashiki, a city near the epicenter, 16,500 households are without power, and residents are worried about more buildings collapsing. "The apartment building I live in is now tilting," one told NHK. "Everything fell down inside. It's a mess." As a precaution, some high-speed trains were taken out of service, and Honda, Bridgestone, and Mitsubishi Electric suspended operations at area factories.

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