BEIJING, (TDI): A powerful earthquake struck China’s Tibet region on Tuesday, killing at least 126 people and injuring 188 others, state media reported. The 7.1-magnitude quake, which also caused tremors in Nepal’s capital Kathmandu and parts of India, left thousands of buildings damaged or destroyed.
Rescue efforts are underway in Tingri County, a high-altitude rural area near Mount Everest and close to the Nepal border. Rescuers braved subzero temperatures, using shovels and bare hands to search for survivors among the rubble of collapsed houses, many made from mud bricks, stone, and wood.
Footage from state broadcaster CCTV showed widespread destruction, with walls torn apart and streets littered with debris. Emergency responders distributed blankets to help locals withstand temperatures as low as minus 16 degrees Celsius (3.2°F).
Quake Details and Impact
The quake struck at 9:00 a.m. local time (0100 GMT), with its epicenter located in Tingri, about 80 kilometers (50 miles) north of Mount Everest. The China Earthquake Networks Centre (CENC) measured it as 6.8 in magnitude, while the US Geological Survey recorded it as 7.1.
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The tremor triggered dozens of aftershocks, the strongest measuring 4.4. Surveillance footage showed people fleeing as store shelves shook violently, scattering items across the floor.
By evening, reports confirmed that 3,609 houses had collapsed, leaving countless residents homeless. Twenty-eight critically injured people were transferred to hospitals for urgent treatment.
All-Out Rescue Operations
Chinese President Xi Jinping called for “all-out search and rescue efforts” to minimize casualties and ensure residents’ safety during the harsh winter. Over 3,400 rescuers and 340 medical workers have been deployed, with supplies such as cotton tents, quilts, and cold-weather gear dispatched to the affected region.
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The region’s earthquake emergency response status was raised to the highest level, reflecting the gravity of the situation.
Neighboring Countries Feel the Shock
The quake’s tremors were felt as far as Kathmandu, Nepal, and Thimphu, Bhutan, as well as the northern Indian state of Bihar. In Nepal’s high-altitude Lobuche region, near Everest, residents reported strong shaking but no immediate damage or casualties.
Nepal lies on a major fault line where the Indian tectonic plate collides with the Eurasian plate, making the area prone to frequent earthquakes.
International Condolences
Global leaders expressed their sympathies. Russian President Vladimir Putin extended his “sincerest condolences,” while Pakistan’s President Asif Ali Zardari and Finance Minister Ishaq Dar offered solidarity with the Chinese people.
Pakistan’s Foreign Office stated, “Our thoughts remain with the injured and those still missing,” pledging support for China’s relief efforts.
Historical Context
Tuesday’s earthquake is the deadliest in China since 2014, when over 600 people died in Yunnan province. The Tibet region, part of the Himalayan seismic zone, has experienced 21 earthquakes of magnitude 6 or higher in the Lhasa block since 1950.
Experts attribute the Tingri quake to a rupture in the Lhasa block, an area under intense geological stress.
With the scale of devastation unfolding, authorities continue to prioritize rescue operations while bracing for the challenges of winter in the disaster-stricken region.
