(Update 1: Updates casualty figures, adds details and minor edits throughout)
Beijing, Jan 7 (EFE).- At least 95 people have been killed and 130 injured in a powerful shallow earthquake in Tibet on Tuesday morning that was also felt in Nepal and India, according to Chinese authorities.
The earthquake struck at 9.05 am local time (01:05 GMT) in Tingri county in Shigatse of Xizang autonomous region at a depth of 10 kilometers, the China Earthquake Networks Center said, recording it as a magnitude-6.8 tremor. The United States Geological Survey (USGS) put the magnitude at 7.1.
China’s President Xi Jinping ordered “all-out rescue efforts following heavy casualties” and demanded “utmost efforts to carry out search and rescue and provide medical treatment for the injured,” according to state media outlet Xinhua, which reported the casualty figures.
Xi also urged efforts to prevent secondary disasters, properly resettle affected residents, promptly allocate disaster relief supplies, expedite the repair of damaged infrastructure, and ensure the basic needs of residents, Xinhua added.
The outlet reported the military has sent drones to the area, the air force has activated a disaster relief emergency plan and officials have departed for the disaster area to oversee rescue efforts.
At least 1,000 homes have collapsed in Tingri, according to the Nanfang Daily, as aftershocks continued.
Local firefighting teams have mobilized more than 1,500 personnel to search for and rescue survivors, state broadcaster CCTV said.
In addition, the country’s National Development and Reform Commission urgently allocated 100 million yuan ($13.6 million) to help with relief efforts.
The earthquake was also felt in parts of Nepal and in several states in northern India, according to media outlets in both countries, although no deaths or damage have been reported in either nation.
Tingri county, which has a population density of 4.2 people per square kilometer, is located at the foot of the Himalayan mountain range and has an average altitude of 5,000 meters above sea level, according to official information from the local government.
Temperatures in the county are expected to reach a minimum of -16 degrees Celsius and a maximum of 3C, according to weather forecasts.
The epicenter was located about 85 kilometers from Mt Everest, located right on the border between China and Nepal, which has been closed to the public until further notice to ensure the safety of visitors and staff.
Tibet and other areas of western China are frequent sites of earthquakes, due to the proximity of the Eurasia and Indian tectonic plates, but often occur in sparsely populated areas.
In December 2023, a M6.2 earthquake killed more than 150 in the neighboring region of Qinghai and in the western province of Gansu, although on that occasion the epicenter was located in a county with a population density of about 265 people per square kilometer. EFE
aa-dlh-jgv-tw
