A strong earthquake in Tibet, China has killed at least 53 people and injured many others. The earthquake struck on Tuesday and was measured at 6.8 magnitude by the China Earthquake Networks Center, while the United States Geological Survey measured it at 7.1.
The quake happened at 9:05 a.m. local time (01:05 GMT) at a depth of 10 kilometers (6.2 miles). After the main quake, there were several aftershocks, with the strongest being 4.4 in magnitude.
The official Xinhua News Agency reported that 62 people were hurt in the quake, which affected parts of western China and nearby Nepal.
Around 1,500 firefighters and rescue workers are searching for people trapped in the rubble, according to the Ministry of Emergency Management.
Significant damage was reported in three towns—Changsuo, Quluo, and Cuoguo—where many buildings collapsed.
Al Jazeera’s Katrina Yu, reporting from Beijing, shared images showing the destruction in remote villages. She mentioned that rescue efforts are difficult because of the cold winter weather.
In Lhatse, about 150 kilometers (93 miles) east of Shigatse city, videos showed fallen shop fronts and debris on the roads.
People in northern India’s Bihar state and Kathmandu, Nepal, felt strong tremors and ran out of their homes. In Nepal, officials are gathering information about the impact, but so far, no injuries have been reported.
Nepal and southwestern China often experience earthquakes. In the past five years, there have been 29 smaller earthquakes in the area.
Major earthquakes in the past have caused many deaths, including a devastating quake in Sichuan, China, in 2008 that killed nearly 70,000 people.
-Aljazeera
