RURAL communities in south-western Japan were struggling to get their lives back to normal today, two days after a powerful earthquake set off an explosion at a shopping centre, toppled a factory chimney and flattened homes, killing at least 30 people.

Time was running out to find survivors, as rescuers continued to work in the Kumamoto area on Japan’s southern main island of Kyushu, where the magnitude 7.1 earthquake hit on Tuesday.

The number of those missing was unclear. The quake left at least 63 people injured, five of them seriously, the Kumamoto prefectural government said.

Survivors spoke about coming home and desperately pulling family members out of the wreckage. Some had suffered injuries and were rushed to the hospital.

Thousands of people spent another night at evacuation centres set up throughout the area in gymnasiums and other big spaces. Some homes were still without water or electricity, while others were simply afraid to go back.

Nearly 23,000 homes were still without electricity, and more than 10,000 people were staying in around 400 shelters.

Concerns were growing about illness, including from the sweltering heat. The Ministry of Environment sent out a heat stroke alert for the Kumamoto area, with temperatures expected to reach as high as 33°C (91°F) Thursday.