Powerful quake rocks Tibet, claims 53 lives and rattles region
According to the Chinese seismology center, a powerful earthquake with a magnitude of 6.8 struck Tibet on Tuesday morning Eastern Time. There were fatalities. The tremors were also felt in Nepal and India.
The United States Geological Survey (USGS) reported the earthquake's magnitude as 7.1. The epicenter was located in the Tingri region, about 93 miles southwest of the city of Xigaze, at a depth of 6 miles.
The Chinese agency Xinhua confirmed the death of 53 people, and at least 62 people were injured.
This area is sparsely populated, with approximately 6,900 people living within a 12-mile radius of the epicenter. 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
A total of over 500 soldiers and rescuers were mobilized for the search and rescue operation, along with four military helicopters and drones.
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
