A devastating earthquake on Tuesday struck Dingri County in Tibet’s autonomous region of China, near the Nepal border, killing at least 53 people and injuring 62.
The powerful tremor, reported as magnitude 6.8 by the China Earthquake Networks Center, CENC, and 7.1 by the US Geological Survey, occurred at 9:05 am local time.
It caused widespread destruction, collapsing buildings and damaging over 1,000 homes in Xigaze city and surrounding areas. Rescue efforts are underway, with teams navigating rubble to aid survivors and distribute blankets in the freezing conditions.
Footage showed debris-laden streets and frightened residents fleeing shaking buildings. Temperatures in Dingri dropped as low as -18°C (0°F) by evening, complicating relief efforts.
Central authorities dispatched disaster relief materials, including cotton tents and quilts, to help the affected population of approximately 62,000.
Chinese President Xi Jinping urged comprehensive rescue efforts to minimize casualties and provide winter relief.
The quake was the most powerful in the region within a 200-kilometer radius in the last five years, according to CENC. Tremors were felt as far as Nepal’s capital Kathmandu and Bihar, India, though no casualties were reported there. Nepalese officials confirmed strong shaking in regions near Everest but no significant damage.
The disaster recalls the 2015 Nepal earthquake, which killed nearly 9,000 people, and past earthquakes in China, including a December 2023 tremor in Gansu province that killed 148 people. Earthquakes are common in this seismically active Himalayan region, where the Indian and Eurasian tectonic plates converge.
Efforts are ongoing to assess the full extent of the damage in Dingri County and nearby areas, with authorities prioritizing the safety and resettlement of affected residents.
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