A powerful earthquake of magnitude 6.8 shook the autonomous region of Tibet, in China, this Tuesday, killing at least 95 people and injuring another 130, according to the latest official figures provided by the Chinese state media CCTV, although it is a still provisional figure. The number of deaths has been growing since the earthquake occurred in the morning. The earthquake has shaken the northern side of the Himalayan mountain range and also caused damage to one of the sacred cities of Buddhism. Its force has been felt equally in Nepal, Bhutan and India.
The earthquake occurred at 9:05 local time (2:05 in mainland Spain) and the epicenter was located at a depth of 10 kilometers in Tingri, a rural Chinese county known for being the northern entrance to the Everest area, a depth of 10 kilometers. The US Geological Survey assures that the earthquake has reached a magnitude of 7.1.
Chinese President Xi Jinping has called for doing everything possible to speed up search and rescue efforts, in addition to sheltering those who have been left homeless in extreme weather conditions. The tremor has especially hit the province of Shigatse, 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.
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.
