Around 1,000 homes have been damaged in the 6.8 magnitude quake that hit a remote mountainous area, according to the agency
At least 53 people have been confirmed dead and 62 wounded after a powerful earthquake hit China’s Tibet Autonomous Region, Xinhua news agency has reported.
The quake struck a remote mountainous area at 9:05 am local time on Tuesday, with a magnitude of 6.8, according to the agency. The US Geological Survey (USGS) registered a magnitude of 7.1.
The China Earthquake Networks Center (CENC) said the epicenter was located at a depth of 10km (6.2 miles) in Tibet’s Dingri County, not far from the border with Nepal.
Tremors were reportedly been felt in Nepal and parts of India. The quake was followed by dozens of aftershocks, according to CENC.
More than 1,000 homes in Dingri County have collapsed or are damaged, Xinhua said. Some areas have lost phone signals, according to the broadcaster CCTV.
Videos from the area, uploaded on Chinese social media, showed ruined buildings along with debris piled on the streets. A large number of cars and motorcycles have been damaged, judging by the clips.
Two CCTV footages show strong 7.0 earthquake in Tibet region, China.
— Disasters Daily (@DisastersAndI) January 7, 2025
Earthquake was relatively shallow, at the depth of 10km.
At least 53 people have tragically lost their life while more than 70 are injured.
There were dozen of aftershocks in China and Nepal.#earthquake… pic.twitter.com/kFsGVwfl4f
Rescuers have been deployed to Dingri County, and the Chinese air force is also taking part in the operation, CCTV said.
Chinese President Xi Jinping issued a statement after the earthquake, urging local officials to make every effort to locate and rescue the survivors, minimize casualties, and properly accommodate the affected residents amid the cold winter conditions.
According to Xinhua, Dingri County is sparsely populated, with around 6,900 people living in 27 villages within a 20-km (12-miles) radius of the epicenter.
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The nearest major city, Shigatse, which has a population of some 640,000, is located around 180km (111 miles) to the north-east.
