A powerful 7.0 magnitude earthquake struck Tibet on Tuesday morning, resulting in at least 53 fatalities and 62 injuries, according to Chinese news agencies. The quake's epicenter was near Xizang, close to Shigatse, one of Tibet's holiest cities, as reported by the China Earthquake Networks Centre. Tremors damaged buildings in Shigatse and prompted evacuations as far away as Nepal and India.
The earthquake occurred at 9:05 AM local time (01:05 GMT) with a depth of 10 km (6.2 miles). Initially reported as 6.9, the magnitude was later revised to 7.0. Videos from the nearby town of Lhatse showed collapsed shopfronts and debris on the roads. Reuters confirmed the footage's location using satellite imagery, though the exact date remains unverified.
The tremors were felt as far as Kathmandu, Nepal’s capital, situated about 400 km (250 miles) from the epicenter. Residents fled their homes in panic as buildings shook, though no significant damage was reported. In India, tremors were felt in the northern state of Bihar, which borders Nepal. Officials in India confirmed that no casualties or property damage had been reported so far.
A magnitude 7.0 earthquake is considered strong and capable of causing severe destruction. Southwestern China is particularly earthquake-prone, with Sichuan province witnessing a devastating quake in 2008 that claimed nearly 70,000 lives. According to China’s state broadcaster CCTV, 29 earthquakes of magnitude 3 or higher have occurred within 200 km of Shigatse in the past five years. However, none were as strong as Tuesday’s quake.
This latest disaster brings to mind the catastrophic 2015 earthquake in Nepal, which measured 7.8 on the Richter scale and resulted in the deaths of approximately 9,000 people, injuring thousands more.