A devastating 7.1 magnitude earthquake struck China’s Tibet Autonomous Region on Tuesday morning, claiming the lives of at least 95 people, with many others reported injured, according to state media. The earthquake, which occurred just after 9:05 a.m., had its epicenter near the Nepalese border, in a mountainous area prone to seismic activity.
Rescue and relief efforts are underway as several aftershocks were reported in the region, including in Nepal. The city of Shigatse, which lies closest to the epicenter and has a population of 640,000, experienced significant tremors. In Nepal’s capital, Kathmandu, residents evacuated buildings as the tremors were felt throughout the city.
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The region, located within the Himalayan mountain range, is no stranger to earthquakes. The devastating 2015 Nepal earthquake, with a magnitude of 7.8, killed nearly 9,000 people. Senior seismologist Lok Bijaya Adhikari from Nepal’s National Earthquake Monitoring and Research Center indicated that the recent earthquake could lead to some damage in eastern Nepal’s mountainous areas.
Experts have raised concerns about the risk of avalanches and glacial lake outburst floods, particularly in Nepal’s high-altitude regions, where people are still residing despite the winter season. The situation remains dire as rescue teams work to assess the full extent of the damage.
