(VOVworld) - A powerful 7.3 magnitude earthquake struck southern Japan early on Saturday, killing at least 19 people, injuring and trapping many people in collapsed buildings, barely a day after a quake killed nine people in the same region.

Rescuers dug through the rubble of collapsed buildings and mud and debris on Saturday to try and reach those trapped, but continued aftershocks hindered rescue efforts and fueled fears of more powerful quakes.
Chief Cabinet Secretary Yoshihide Suga said nearly 80 people were believed trapped or buried in rubble. Extra troops would be sent to help, with up to 20,000 due by Sunday, as well as more police, firefighters and medics.
Prime Minister Shinzo Abe said at a government meeting after the disaster that nothing is more important than human life and it's a race against time and he wanted rescue activities to continue with the utmost effort.