Massive earthquake jolts China, Tibet: Over 30 people killed, tremors felt in Nepal and India (WATCH)
By Sunita Iyer | First Published Jan 7, 2025, 9:23 AM ISTA powerful earthquake with a magnitude of 6.8 hit the Himalayas on Tuesday morning, claiming the lives of at least 36 people and leaving many others injured.
A powerful earthquake with a magnitude of 6.8 hit the Himalayas on Tuesday morning, claiming the lives of at least 36 people and leaving many others injured. The tremors were felt in Tibet’s Shigatse city and neighbouring regions of Nepal and India.
According to local Chinese media, fatalities were reported in the townships of Changsuo, Quluo, and Cuoguo in Dingri County, with additional casualties expected as the situation unfolds. The quake, which struck at 9:05 a.m. local time, had a depth of 10 kilometers (6.2 miles), and was initially reported as a magnitude 6.9, but later revised.
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The US Geological Survey recorded the earthquake as a magnitude 7.1. Multiple aftershocks followed, with the largest reaching a magnitude of 4.4, reported Xinhua.
: Aftermath video shot by eyewitneas when Magnitude 7.1 earthquake hits hits Tibet’s Shigatse pic.twitter.com/bjFf0pRU26
— upuknews (@upuknews1) : Several buildings have been demolished, with five aftershocks recorded by seismologistsin Tibet's Shigatse city
The quake is the most powerful to strike within a 200km radius of the epicenter in the last five years, according to Chinese authorities. … pic.twitter.com/W6fkAWkMgU
Dingri County and nearby areas experienced intense tremors, leading to widespread destruction. Many buildings near the epicenter collapsed, and debris scattered across roads. Video footage from Reuters showed significant damage in the towns of Shigatse and Lhatse, including fallen shopfronts.
Shigatse, a city of religious significance, is home to the Panchen Lama, one of Tibetan Buddhism’s most important figures, second only to the Dalai Lama in spiritual authority.
Tremors Felt in Nepal and India
The earthquake’s tremors were felt as far as Nepal’s capital, Kathmandu, about 400 kilometers (250 miles) away, where residents rushed out of their homes in alarm.
"We felt a very strong earthquake, but so far, we have not received reports of injuries or significant damage," said Anoj Raj Ghimire, chief district officer of Solukhumbu district in Nepal.
Authorities have mobilized police, security forces, and local residents to assess the damage. Tremors were also reported in the northern Indian state of Bihar, though no damage has been reported there either.
While earthquakes are common in the Himalayan region, Tuesday's quake was the strongest recorded within a 200-kilometer radius in the past five years, according to the China Earthquake Networks Center (CENC). The region was previously struck by a devastating 7.8-magnitude earthquake in 2015, which killed around 9,000 people in Nepal.
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