At least 32 people have been confirmed killed after a significant earthquake hit China’s mountainous Tibet region on Tuesday morning, according to Chinese state television.
A magnitude 7.1 earthquake struck Shigatse City in Tibet around 09:00 local time (01:00 GMT), with a depth of approximately 6 miles, according to US Geological Survey data, which also reported a series of aftershocks in the region.
Tremors were also felt in neighboring countries that include Nepal and certain parts of India.
Earthquakes frequently occur in this area due to its location along a significant geological fault line.
Shigatse is widely regarded as one of Tibet’s most revered cities. It serves as the traditional residence of the Panchen Lama, a paramount figure in Tibetan Buddhism, whose spiritual influence ranks second only to the Dalai Lama.
Chinese state media reported the earthquake registered a slightly lower magnitude of 6.8, causing “obvious” tremors and resulting in significant damage, with many houses collapsing.
Social media images and posts reveal scenes of collapsing buildings, and several powerful aftershocks have been reported.
“After a major earthquake, there is always a gradual process of decay,” Jiang Haikun, a specialist at the China Earthquake Networks Center, stated to CCTV.
Whilst another earthquake of approximately magnitude 5 could still occur, Jiang stated, “the chance of a more significant earthquake is low”.
Rescue efforts and drones have been dispatched by the Chinese air force to the region affected by recent events, situated at the base of Mount Everest, where temperatures are significantly below freezing.
Power and water supplies have been interrupted in the area.
Seismic activity was felt in Nepal, however, there were no reports of damage or casualties, a local official in Nepal’s Namche region, near Everest, informed AFP.
Tibet’s earthquake bureau asked the pojokinfo.biz.idon Tuesday that they were unable to provide any estimates of the casualty numbers as they are still checking on the figures.
The region, which straddles a significant fault line where the Indian and Eurasian tectonic plates are in collision, experiences regular seismic activity. In 2015, a 7.8 magnitude earthquake near Kathmandu, the capital of Nepal, resulted in nearly 9,000 fatalities and over 20,000 injuries.
