At least 53 died and about 62 people were injured as a strong earthquake hit Tibet’s Shigatse city early Tuesday morning. The earthquake measuring 7.1 on the Richter scale shook the ground at 09:00 hours local time (01:00 GMT), at a depth of 10 kilometres. The region shook with several aftershocks following the initial tremor.
Impact on Shigatse, Tibet’s Holy City
Shigatse was one of the most devastated cities. This city was the traditional seat of the Panchen Lama and is thus spiritually important in Tibetan Buddhism. More than a thousand houses were damaged and social media posts revealed photos of buildings reduced to rubble.
A hotel resident in Shigatse described being jolted awake by violent shaking. “It felt like even the bed was being lifted,” he shared, adding that helicopters circled above shortly after.
Epicenter Near Mount Everest Base
The epicentre was near Tingri County, which is a passage for climbers going to Mount Everest. The authorities cancelled all sightseeing tours in the area and ushered tourists to safety outdoors.
Rescue teams, assisted by drones and the Chinese Air Force, were dispatched to the site of the disaster where freezing temperatures have made matters worse. Furthermore, both water and electricity remain cut in the affected areas.
Read more: 4.2 Magnitude Earthquake Jolts Malakand and Surrounding Areas
Tremors Felt in Nepal and India
In addition, the earthquake’s tremors reached Nepal and some parts of India. However, the region of Namche, near Mount Everest, reported no casualties or damages from the earthquake.
Regions bordering on the fault lines between the Indian and Eurasian tectonic plates have been and are still, seismically active. So much so, that a mega-earthquake, which occurred in Nepal in 2015, reportedly claimed the lives of almost 9,000 people.
Government Response and Safety Precautions
All efforts must therefore be mobilised to minimise casualties, according to Chinese President Xi Jinping. In all likelihood, there would be a smaller aftershock, but further, he did not expect more substantial ones, said Jiang Haikun, a researcher at the China Earthquake Networks Center.
Residents and tourists in the area should always be careful as strong aftershocks still continue to shake the region.
This earthquake serves as a sobering reminder of the region’s vulnerability to seismic activity. As rescue efforts continue, the focus remains on saving lives and rebuilding communities.
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