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Amidst all the damage and devastation following a huge earthquake last week in southern Japan was a strange sight in some of the streets: white foam, covering driving surfaces and sidewalks.

The foam was spotted in the Tenjin area of Fukuouka city on the northwestern side of Kyushu Island, where a huge 7.0 magnitude earthquake Saturday morning followed a 6.2 temblor on Thursday, according to Mashable. As the foam poured into the streets, social media images and video showed people walking and riding through it, despite the fact that it was knee-high in some places and an unknown substance.

(MORE: Search for Missing Continues in Japan)

“I saw it just after the earthquake,” Tenjin resident Kazuki Nabeta told the Independent.

Officials are still not sure what exactly the foam is or where it came from, but they believe the quake may have ruptured an underground pipe, causing the foam to flow up into the streets, India Today said.

The main 7.0 magnitude earthquake and the 6.2 foreshock combined to kill at least 42 people, left hundreds injured and thousands more homeless on Kyushu Island. Supplies are just beginning to arrive in some of the areas that were isolated during the violent tremors.

MORE ON WEATHER.COM: Earthquake Devastates Southern Japan