NewDelhi: A magnitude 7.1 earthquake hit the Tibet-Nepal border region early Tuesday, destroying much of the region and leaving at least 53 people dead in Tibet. The tremors were felt in five countries and include countries like India, Bangladesh, Nepal, Tibet, and Iran.
The quake, which occurred at 9:05 am local time (6:35 am IST), had its epicentre in Dingri County of Shigatse City in the Tibet Autonomous Region, at a distance of 93 km northeast of Lobuche, Nepal, Nepal’s Department of Geological and Mineral Engineering said. The quake focused at a depth of 10 kilometres, according to the China Earthquake Networks Centre.
The earthquake was devastating in Tibet; many cities saw dozens of buildings collapse. Over 40 injured, at least 53 are now confirmed dead. The rescue and relief operations in the affected areas continue.
These tremors were strongly felt in Nepal, most of all in Kathmandu, Kavrepalanchok, Sindhupalchok, Dhading, and Solukhumbu. The earthquake brought memories of the Nepal 2015 earthquake, which killed over 8,900 people. But Nepal Police spokesperson Bishwo Adhikari said no major damage has been reported so far in Nepal.
Felt across several northern states of India, from Bihar to parts of the National Capital Region, tremors were also reported in New Delhi, according to the USGS. But there have been no casualties or major damage reported in India.
At least six aftershocks of magnitude 4 to 5 were recorded in the first hour by the United States Geological Survey (USGS), which put the magnitude of Wednesday’s main quake at 6.1.
About 380 km from Lhasa, the capital of Tibet, Shigatse is home to one of Tibet’s holiest cities as well as the traditional seat of the Panchen Lama. Far from the epicentre, the region, averaging 4,200 meters, is sparsely inhabited.
Rescue efforts continued Saturday, and authorities warned of potential aftershocks as they urged residents to remain vigilant. The seismic vulnerability of the Himalayan region is provided as a stark reminder that this region has experienced several major earthquakes over the past few years.
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