Earthquake Kills 53 In China’s Tibet Region
A powerful earthquake struck China’s remote Tibet region on Tuesday, leaving at least 53 people dead and 62 injured.
The earthquake, with a magnitude of 6.8 as reported by the China Earthquake Networks Center (CENC) and 7.1 by the US Geological Survey, hit Dingri County near the Nepal border at 9:05 a.m. local time.
The tremor caused the collapse of numerous buildings, with over 1,000 houses sustaining varying degrees of damage.
Footage from state broadcaster CCTV showed extensive destruction, with homes reduced to rubble and rescue workers providing aid, including thick blankets to protect residents from freezing temperatures.
Surveillance footage captured people fleeing from shaking shelves in stores as items tumbled to the ground.
Chinese President Xi Jinping emphasized the urgency of full-scale search and rescue efforts, calling for the protection of affected residents and ensuring their safety through the winter months.
Central authorities have dispatched relief supplies, including cotton tents, quilts, and items suitable for the high-altitude, frigid conditions, as temperatures in Dingri are expected to drop to minus 18 degrees Celsius (0°F) by the evening.
Lhatse, a nearby town, also reported significant damage with debris scattered across public areas. Local authorities are working to assess the full impact of the disaster and reach isolated townships.
The quake’s impact was felt beyond China, with tremors reaching Nepal’s capital, Kathmandu, and parts of India, including Bihar state. Officials in Nepal reported no casualties or major damage but confirmed strong shaking near the Everest region.
Earthquakes are common in the Tibet region, with the CENC noting that this was the most powerful quake recorded within a 200-kilometer radius in the last five years. The area, home to around 62,000 people, sits on the Chinese side of Mount Everest.
The disaster adds to a series of recent earthquakes in the region. In December 2023, a quake in northwest China’s Gansu Province killed 148 people and displaced thousands. The region’s mountainous terrain and freezing temperatures have posed significant challenges to relief operations
