New Delhi: A powerful earthquake struck the Tibet region on Tuesday, January 7, killing at least 53 people and injuring 62, according to Chinese authorities. Many others remain trapped as rescue efforts intensify in the mountainous area, Al Jazeera reported.
The earthquake, recorded at 9:05 am local time (01:05 GMT), had a depth of 10 km, according to the China Earthquake Networks Center, which registered its magnitude at 6.8. The United States Geological Survey, however, reported a higher magnitude of 7.1.
The tremor caused widespread destruction in Tibet’s Shigatse prefecture, particularly in the townships of Changsuo, Quluo and Cuoguo in Tingri county. The official Xinhua News Agency reported nine fatalities in these areas, with dozens of buildings collapsing. Local media suggested the death toll could rise further.
Rescue operations involving 1,500 firefighters and emergency personnel are underway, with crews searching for survivors amid rubble. Efforts are hampered by the region’s remote and mountainous terrain, compounded by cold winter conditions.
The quake’s tremors were felt as far as northern India and Nepal, where residents in the capital, Kathmandu, ran outdoors in panic. Nepalese authorities have mobilised police and security forces to assess the quake’s impact.
Shigatse, one of Tibet’s holiest cities and the seat of the Panchen Lama, experienced significant damage. Footage from Lhatse, located 150 km east of Shigatse, showed collapsed shop fronts and debris blocking roads, according to Reuters.
This region has experienced frequent seismic activity. Over the past five years, 29 earthquakes with magnitudes of 3 or higher have been recorded within 200 kms of today’s epicentre, though none were as strong as this one.
The disaster draws comparisons to past major earthquakes in the region, including the devastating 2008 Sichuan earthquake, which killed nearly 70,000 people, and Nepal’s 2015 earthquake near Kathmandu, which claimed around 9,000 lives.
Aftershocks, the strongest measuring a magnitude of 4.4, continue to rattle the region.
