Earthquake has struck the Tibet region of China on Tuesday, resulting in the loss of at least 53 lives and widespread destruction.
The quake, which had a magnitude of 6.8 according to the China Earthquake Networks Center (CENC), hit Dingri County near the border with Nepal at 9:05 am local time.
The impact of the earthquake was severe, with many buildings collapsing and rubble strewn across the affected areas.
Videos published by China’s state broadcaster CCTV showed the devastating aftermath, with destroyed houses and walls torn apart.
The earthquake was also felt in neighboring Nepal, where tremors were reported in the capital city of Kathmandu and other areas near Mount Everest.
However, no deaths or injuries were reported in Nepal.
In China, the regional disaster relief headquarters reported that 32 people had been confirmed dead and 38 injured in the quake.
The CENC noted that the quake was the most powerful recorded within a 200-kilometer radius in the last five years.
The affected area, Dingri County, is a high-altitude region with a population of around 62,000 people.
The county is situated near Mount Everest and is prone to quakes due to its location on a major geological fault line.
The quake has prompted a response from local authorities, who are working to assess the impact of the quake and provide aid to those affected.
The China Meteorological Administration has warned that temperatures in the affected area are expected to drop to minus 18 degrees Celsius, making the relief efforts even more challenging.
This latest quake is a reminder of the seismic risks faced by the region.
In 2015, a devastating quake struck Nepal, resulting in the loss of nearly 9,000 lives and widespread destruction.
More recently, a 7.0-magnitude quake struck the China-Kyrgyzstan border in January last year, killing three people and injuring dozens.
