Tibet earthquake: Scores dead as tremor strikes near Everest

BEIJING AND SINGAPORE: At least 95 people have been confirmed dead and 130 are injured after a major earthquake struck a remote region of mountainous Tibet near Mount Everest, Chinese state media say.

The earthquake, which hit Tibet’s holy Shigatse city around 09:00 local time (01:00 GMT) on Tuesday morning, had a magnitude of 7.1 and a depth of 10 kilometres (six miles), according to data from the US Geological Survey, which also showed a series of aftershocks in the area.

Tremors were also felt in Nepal and parts of India, which neighbour Tibet. Earthquakes are common in the region, which lies on a major geological fault line, but Tuesday’s was one of the deadliest China has experienced in recent years.

Videos published by China’s state broadcaster CCTV showed destroyed houses and collapsed buildings, with rescue workers wading through debris and handing out thick blankets to locals. The footage also shows survivors receiving medical treatment.

Temperatures in Tingri county, near the earthquake’s epicentre in the northern foothills of the Himalayas, are around -8C (17.6F), and will drop to -18C by evening, according to the China Meteorological Administration. Both power and water in the region have been disrupted.

There were more than 40 aftershocks in the first few hours following the quake. Shigatse is considered one of the holiest cities of Tibet, which was annexed by China in the 1950s and has been under tight control ever since, including media and internet access.

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Chinese state media reported the earthquake as having a slightly lesser magnitude of 6.8, causing “obvious” tremors and leading to the damage of more than 1,000 houses. Jiang Haikun, a researcher at the China Earthquake Networks Center, told CCTV that while another earthquake of around magnitude 5 may still occur, “the likelihood of a larger earthquake is low”.

A hotel resident in Shigatse told Chinese media outlet Fengmian News that he was jolted awake by a wave of shaking. He said he grabbed his socks and rushed out onto the street, where he saw helicopters circling above. “It felt like even the bed was being lifted,” he said, adding that he immediately knew it was an earthquake because Tibet recently experienced multiple smaller quakes.

Sitting at the foot of Mount Everest, which separates Nepal and China, Tingri county is a popular base for climbers preparing to ascend the world’s tallest peak. Everest sightseeing tours in Tingri, originally scheduled for Tuesday morning, have been cancelled, a tourism staff member told local media, adding that the sightseeing area had been fully closed.

There were three visitors in the sightseeing area who had all been moved to an outdoor area for safety, they said.