China: 53 Dead, dozens of others injured as deadly earthquake strikes Tibet

A powerful earthquake with a magnitude of 7.1 struck Tibet’s Shigatse city on Tuesday morning, leaving at least 53 people dead and 62 injured, according to Chinese state media.

The quake, which occurred at 09:00 local time (01:00 GMT), had a shallow depth of 10 kilometers (six miles) and was followed by strong aftershocks.

Tremors were felt across neighboring Nepal and parts of India, with no casualties reported outside China. Shigatse, one of Tibet’s holiest cities and home to the Panchen Lama, sustained significant damage, including the destruction of over 1,000 houses. Social media footage captured collapsing buildings as locals sought safety outdoors.

The epicenter was in Tingri County, a gateway for climbers heading to Mount Everest. Scheduled Mount Everest sightseeing tours were canceled, and visitors in the area were evacuated to safer locations.

Chinese authorities, including the air force, have launched rescue operations in the frigid, mountainous region. President Xi Jinping called for urgent search-and-rescue efforts and the resettlement of displaced residents. Power and water supplies in the region remain disrupted.

Jiang Haikun, a researcher at the China Earthquake Networks Center, indicated that while aftershocks, including quakes of around magnitude 5, are likely, the probability of a larger earthquake is low.

The disaster highlights the seismic vulnerability of the region, situated near a major fault line between the Indian and Eurasian tectonic plates.

In 2015, a 7.8 magnitude earthquake near Nepal’s capital, Kathmandu, resulted in nearly 9,000 deaths, underscoring the ongoing risks in the area.