China: 32 dead, others injured as Earthquake strikes Tibet

At least 32 people have been confirmed dead and 38 injured following a powerful earthquake that struck Tibet’s mountainous Shigatse city on Tuesday morning.

The quake, which hit at approximately 09:00 local time (01:00 GMT), registered a magnitude of 7.1 with a depth of 10 kilometres (six miles), according to the US Geological Survey.

Chinese state media, however, reported a slightly lower magnitude of 6.8, noting “obvious” tremors and significant damage in the area.

The earthquake caused widespread destruction, including damage to over 1,000 houses, followed by strong aftershocks.

Social media footage shows buildings collapsing as tremors shook the region. Jiang Haikun, a China Earthquake Networks Center researcher told CCTV: “After a major earthquake, there is always a gradual attenuation process.”

While Jiang suggested the possibility of another quake of around magnitude 5, he added, “the likelihood of a larger earthquake is low.”

Shigatse, one of Tibet’s holiest cities and the traditional seat of the Panchen Lama, lies at the foot of Mount Everest. Rescue efforts, led by the Chinese Air Force, are underway, with drones deployed to assess the area, which remains without power and water. Sub-zero temperatures are complicating relief operations.

Tremors from the quake were also felt in neighbouring Nepal and parts of India. In Nepal’s Namche region, near Everest, local officials reported no casualties or damage. However, Tibet’s earthquake bureau told the BBC that casualty estimates were still being verified.

The region, situated on the fault line where the Indian and Eurasian tectonic plates collide, is prone to seismic activity. A reminder of the area’s vulnerability was the devastating 2015 earthquake near Kathmandu, Nepal, which claimed nearly 9,000 lives and injured over 20,000.

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