A powerful earthquake measuring 6.8 on the Richter scale on the northern side of the Himalayas has killed at least 53 people in Tibet, Chinese authorities have reported, also causing damage to one of the sacred cities of Tibet. buddhism. The earthquake could also be felt in Nepal, Bhutan and India.
According to the China Earthquake Network Center, the earthquake occurred at 9:05 a.m. local time (2:05 a.m. in mainland Spain) and the epicenter was recorded in Tingri, a rural Chinese region known as the northern entrance to the earthquake zone. Everest, at a depth of 10 kilometers. According to the US Geological Survey, the earthquake has reached a magnitude of 7.1.
The Chinese state agency Xinhua has reported that the tremor has caused the death of 53 people and 62 injuries on the Tibetan side of the border, especially in Shigatse province, where 800,000 people reside. This region has its capital in the city of Shigatse, where the Panchen Lama, one of the most important religious figures of Tibetan Buddhism, is based.
Videos posted on social media and verified by Reuters show collapsed facades and debris scattered on the ground in the city of Lhatse.
Chinese President Xi Jinping has demanded that all necessary resources be mobilized to minimize the number of victims and provide shelter to those affected in the middle of winter.
Earthquakes are frequent in the area, due to the contact between the Indian and Eurasian plates. In 2015, a 7.8 magnitude earthquake caused more than 9,000 deaths in Nepal, the largest natural tragedy in its history.
