Beijing (Web Desk): A magnitude 6.8, powerful earthquake recorded by Chinese authorities on Tuesday, rattled the northern Himalayan foothills in close proximity to Tibet’s holiest cities.
The tremor, which occurred at 9:05am local time (0105 GMT), had its epicenter in Tingri, a remote county that serves as the northern gateway to the Mount Everest region, situated at an elevation of around 4,000 to 5,000 meters. This earthquake occurred at a relatively shallow depth of 10 kilometers (6.2 miles), with the US Geological Survey reporting a slightly higher magnitude of 7.1.
As of the latest reports, the earthquake has claimed the lives of more than 120 individuals on the Tibetan side of the border, with several others injured. The damage appears most severe in the region surrounding Shigatse, home to nearly 800,000 people.
Although tremors were felt across neighboring Nepal, Bhutan, and India, no fatalities have been reported from these areas, despite significant shaking being registered in multiple districts.
In Nepal, the National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Authority confirmed that tremors were observed in several districts bordering Tibet, but no substantial damage or casualties have been reported, possibly due to the sparsely populated and remote nature of the affected villages.
The earthquake has been followed by dozens of aftershocks, with the strongest measuring up to magnitude 4.4, maintaining a constant risk to already vulnerable structures.
Many of the rural villages within a 20 km radius of the epicenter have sustained severe damage, with over 1,000 homes reported as either destroyed or heavily damaged. Some areas are inaccessible except on foot, complicating rescue efforts.
Initial footage from the town of Lhatse, located near the epicenter, shows buildings with collapsed facades, with debris scattered on the streets.
Chinese state media reported that search and rescue operations were underway, with more than 1,500 personnel mobilized to assist in the aftermath.
To mitigate the effects of this disaster, the Chinese government has dispatched essential supplies, including over 22,000 items such as tents, quilts, and folding beds, to the affected region.
These efforts are part of a broader initiative spearheaded by President Xi Jinping to ensure the safety of the population and provide for those displaced or injured in the quake.
This region’s extreme altitude and the harsh winter conditions pose additional challenges, with the government focusing on providing warmth and shelter to survivors during the cold months ahead.
The seismic event’s origin lies within a tectonically active area, where the Indian and Eurasian plates collide, creating substantial geophysical strain. The Lhasa block, where the epicenter is located, has experienced repeated seismic activity over the past several decades, including the significant 6.9 magnitude earthquake in Mainling in 2017.
The 2015 earthquake in Nepal, with a magnitude of 7.8, serves as a reminder of the region’s vulnerability, having claimed nearly 9,000 lives and causing widespread damage, including fatalities at Everest base camp.
In neighboring Nepal, residents in the capital, Kathmandu, reported feeling intense shaking as the tremors reached the city, about 400 kilometers from the epicenter. Some individuals panicked and jumped from buildings, leading to at least one injury.
However, officials have confirmed that there has been no major infrastructure damage or fatalities in the country.
The tremors were also felt in Bhutan’s capital, Thimphu, and in the northern Indian state of Bihar, though no reports of damage have emerged from these regions.
Overall, this earthquake adds to the long history of seismic instability in the region, reminding local populations and governments of the continual risk posed by the geological forces at play in the collision zone of the Indian and Eurasian plates.
Rescue efforts are expected to intensify as additional assessments of the damage unfold in the coming days.
