Five Vietnamese Workers Rescue Elderly Neighbour After Deadly Kumamoto Earthquake

A rescue amid the destruction in Yatsushiro

Five Vietnamese men working at a broccoli farm in Yatsushiro rescued an elderly Japanese neighbour from her collapsed home after a magnitude 7.1 earthquake struck Kumamoto Prefecture on July 28. The disaster killed at least 38 people, including Vietnamese worker Tran Van Son, and injured more than 100 others.

The woman, described as nearly 90 years old, lived alone. After the shaking stopped, the five men noticed that her house had collapsed and joined local residents in searching for her. They called out and heard a response from beneath the debris.

With a borrowed saw and their hands, the rescuers removed roof tiles, beams and rubble while aftershocks continued. About 30 minutes later, they had made an opening large enough to pull her out. She remained conscious but had suffered a broken leg.

Le Huy Tuan, a 25-year-old member of the group, later said the men had thought only about freeing her as quickly as possible. Neighbours praised their swift response, which likely saved her life.

The five men had arrived in Japan through the Specified Skilled Worker programme and had lived nearby for between one and four years. Their actions brought them together with Japanese neighbours at a moment when both communities faced immediate danger.

The rescuers soon faced their own difficulties. Their accommodation was damaged, leaving them to sleep in cars or containers as drinking water became scarce. Across the affected area, other migrant workers also lost their homes and moved into evacuation centres.

By August 5, the story of the rescue stood alongside a wider effort to restore basic services, support displaced workers and help communities recover from the deadly quake.

A Vietnamese worker among those killed

Tran Van Son had arrived in Japan in January under a government foreign worker programme. He died when a crane collapsed at the factory where he worked during the earthquake. Seven other Vietnamese workers at the same site escaped unharmed.

A Vietnamese woman was also injured in the disaster. Many other migrant workers survived but were left without accommodation, adding the loss of shelter to the disruption of their working lives.

The earthquake exposed the risks facing people who had travelled to Japan for employment and were living near their workplaces. In Kumamoto, factories and farms have drawn a growing Vietnamese population, with workers filling jobs in industries where local labour is scarce.

Son's death and the rescue in Yatsushiro showed different experiences within the same community. One workplace suffered a fatal collapse, while five farm workers were able to reach a trapped neighbour and bring her to safety.

Strong shaking and repeated aftershocks

The July 28 earthquake registered upper 6 on the Japanese intensity scale in Yatsushiro. Magnitude describes the earthquake itself, while the intensity scale describes how strongly the ground shook at a particular location. The two figures describe different aspects of the same event.

Aftershocks continued for days, complicating rescue work and placing additional pressure on people whose homes had already been damaged. The five Vietnamese rescuers continued clearing the collapsed house despite further shaking.

Japanese authorities mobilised the Self Defence Forces and firefighters from several prefectures. Bullet train services were suspended, and some flights at Aso Kumamoto Airport were cancelled as a precaution.

Japan experiences frequent seismic activity, but the condition of individual buildings remains an important part of the danger residents face. Older structures are vulnerable during strong earthquakes, and many foreign workers live in such housing near industrial zones.

How the response developed

The disaster response moved from urgent rescue work towards restoring services and finding more suitable accommodation for evacuees. Searches at damaged locations, including Aeon Mall Kumamoto and a paper mill, concluded within days.

The main developments stretched from the earthquake on July 28 into the first days of August:

• July 28: A magnitude 7.1 earthquake struck Kumamoto Prefecture, with shaking reaching upper 6 on the Japanese intensity scale in Yatsushiro.
• After the shaking stopped: Five Vietnamese farm workers joined local residents and rescued an elderly woman from her collapsed house in about 30 minutes.
• In the following days: Aftershocks continued, emergency teams worked at damaged sites, and displaced residents sought shelter.
• By early August: Supermarkets had reopened, water deliveries had reached most areas, and Vietnamese associations continued distributing relief supplies.
• By August 5: Recovery efforts focused on restoring services, supporting evacuees and helping workers return to their jobs where possible.

Japanese authorities established secondary shelters in hotels and restored electricity and water supplies in stages. Moving people into these shelters formed part of the shift from immediate emergency accommodation towards recovery.

Why Vietnamese workers are in Kumamoto

Vietnamese nationals form Japan's second largest foreign community, with more than 630,000 residents and about 480,000 people in employment. Many work in manufacturing, agriculture, construction and elderly care through programmes intended to address severe labour shortages in Japan's aging society.

Kumamoto's Vietnamese population has grown rapidly as local factories and farms seek workers. Vietnamese employees take jobs in metalworking, semiconductor plants and agriculture, among other sectors where employers struggle to find enough local staff.

Many arrive through the Technical Intern Training Program or the newer Specified Skilled Worker programme, described as its successor. The newer system offers better wages and protections than the older intern model, which has faced criticism over low pay and long working hours.

The five men involved in the Yatsushiro rescue were employed through the Specified Skilled Worker programme. Their work at a broccoli farm placed them close to the elderly woman's home, and their years living nearby made them part of the neighbourhood before the earthquake struck.

Damaged homes and shortages of water

Many Vietnamese workers in the region live in older accommodation near factories or farms. The earthquake damaged dozens of these homes, leaving residents without shelter or basic services and forcing some into evacuation centres.

The five rescuers were among those dealing with damaged housing. Sleeping in cars or containers provided somewhere to stay, but dwindling water supplies added to the difficulty of daily life after the quake.

Water shortages affected Yatsushiro and nearby towns, creating problems for hygiene and firefighting. Restoring water therefore mattered both for households trying to manage ordinary needs and for emergency crews working in damaged communities.

Vietnamese community groups delivered drinking water and food to affected workers from Vietnam, Indonesia and Cambodia. Community associations also used social media to coordinate assistance and share updates, helping connect people needing supplies with those organising deliveries.

By early August, water deliveries had reached most areas and supermarkets had reopened. Those developments improved access to essentials, while the gradual restoration of power and water continued alongside support for people who could not return home.

Consular aid and official condolences

The Vietnamese Consulate General in Fukuoka distributed supplies to evacuation centres. Its response accompanied the efforts of community groups supporting migrant workers who had lost housing or access to everyday necessities.

Vietnam's Prime Minister Le Minh Hung sent condolences to Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi after the disaster. Foreign Minister Le Hoai Trung also expressed sympathy to his Japanese counterpart.

The messages and relief efforts reflected close cooperation between Vietnam and Japan on labour migration and disaster relief. The earthquake affected a Vietnamese community whose employment and daily lives are closely connected to Japanese farms, factories and neighbourhoods.

Japanese authorities continued supporting evacuees as rescue operations gave way to recovery. Hotel shelters, the restoration of utilities and deliveries of essential supplies addressed different needs within that response.

Neighbours helping neighbours during recovery

Local farmers and residents expressed gratitude for the five men's actions. Despite occasional public concerns about foreign residents, the rescue highlighted everyday cooperation between Vietnamese workers and Japanese neighbours.

The men worked alongside local people to clear the rubble, responding to the woman's voice and using the tools available to them. Their contribution extended beyond their jobs at the broccoli farm and into the immediate needs of the community where they lived.

Vietnamese associations continued relief work while employees returned to their jobs where possible. Community networks remained valuable to migrant residents managing displacement, shortages and the disruption caused by the earthquake.

Japan continues to rely on foreign labour to sustain key industries. In Kumamoto, the disaster showed both the hardship these workers can face and the role they play in local life, from keeping farms and factories operating to helping neighbours in an emergency.

Key Points

• The magnitude 7.1 earthquake struck Kumamoto Prefecture on July 28, killing at least 38 people and injuring more than 100.
• Vietnamese worker Tran Van Son died when a crane collapsed at his factory. Seven Vietnamese colleagues escaped unharmed.
• Five Vietnamese farm workers rescued an elderly woman in Yatsushiro after about 30 minutes of clearing debris.
• The woman remained conscious but suffered a broken leg. The rescuers also faced damaged accommodation and water shortages.
• More than 630,000 Vietnamese nationals live in Japan, and about 480,000 are employed.
• Vietnamese community groups and the consulate in Fukuoka provided relief, while Vietnam's leaders sent condolences.
• By early August, supermarkets had reopened and water deliveries had reached most areas as recovery continued.