Tibet earthquake: 53 dead, tremors felt in Nepal and India
According to the Chinese seismology centre, a powerful earthquake with a magnitude of 6.8 struck Tibet on Tuesday morning Eastern Time. The centre confirmed fatalities, and the tremors were felt in Nepal and India.
According to the United States Geological Survey (USGS), the earthquake had a magnitude of 7.1. The epicentre was located in the Tingri region, approximately 150 kilometres southwest of the city of Xigaze, at a depth of 10 kilometres.
The Chinese agency Xinhua confirmed the death of 53 people, and at least 62 people were injured.
This area is sparsely populated—approximately 6,900 people live within a 20-kilometre radius of the epicentre. The tremors were also felt in Kathmandu, the capital of Nepal, and the Indian state of Bihar. Hundreds of frightened residents ran onto the streets.
"It shook quite strongly here, everyone woke up, but at the moment we have no information about any damages," Jagat Prasad Bhusal, an official in the Namche region in northeastern Nepal, told AFP.
Earthquake in Tibet. Military conducting rescue operation
Over 500 soldiers and rescuers, as well as four military helicopters and drones, were mobilized for the search-and-rescue operation.
Seismological services reported that within three hours, 49 aftershocks with magnitudes ranging from 3 to 4.4 were recorded in the area.
Tibet is known for frequent earthquakes because it lies on the boundary of tectonic plates. In 2015, an earthquake with a magnitude of 7.8 in Nepal killed nearly 9,000 people and left millions homeless.
Source: PAP
