Strong earthquake kills at least 126 people in Tibet near Mount Everest

A powerful earthquake struck high-altitude areas of western China and parts of Nepal, causing damage to hundreds of homes, leaving streets littered with rubble, and resulting in at least 126 fatalities in the Tibet region. Following the initial quake, the remote area experienced continuous aftershocks, leaving many people trapped.

Rescue workers were seen climbing over piles of collapsed bricks in severely damaged villages, with some using ladders to search for survivors. Video footage released by China's Ministry of Emergency Management showed rescuers carrying two injured individuals on stretchers as they navigated through the ruins of collapsed houses.

According to China Central Television (CCTV), the vice mayor of Shigatse City in the Tibet Autonomous Region stated that the earthquake had injured at least 188 people. CCTV footage showed over 1,000 homes damaged in the area, with streets covered in construction debris and crushed vehicles. Nepal's National Emergency Operation Center reported that people in northeastern Nepal strongly felt the earthquake, but initial reports indicated no casualties or property damage.

The Mount Everest region, about 75 kilometers southwest of the epicenter, is currently in the midst of winter and is relatively desolate, with some residents having moved away to avoid the cold. The earthquake startled residents in Nepal's capital, Kathmandu, prompting them to rush into the streets; Kathmandu is located approximately 230 kilometers from the epicenter.

The U.S. Geological Survey reported the earthquake as a magnitude 7.1 with a shallow depth of approximately 10 kilometers. The China Earthquake Networks Center recorded it as a magnitude 6.8. Shallow earthquakes typically cause more significant damage. The epicenter was located in Tingri County in Tibet, an area where the Indian and Eurasian tectonic plates collide, which can trigger powerful earthquakes capable of altering the height of some peaks in the Himalayas.

Tibet is part of China, but many Tibetans are loyal to the Dalai Lama, the spiritual leader who has been in exile in India since a failed anti-Chinese uprising in 1959. Western governments and human rights organizations have repeatedly accused the Chinese government of human rights abuses in Tibet, suppressing dissent, while also heavily investing in economic development. The U.S. Geological Survey stated that the region where Tuesday's earthquake occurred has experienced 10 earthquakes of at least magnitude 6 in the past century.

Within three hours of the earthquake, approximately 50 aftershocks were recorded, and the Mount Everest scenic area on the Chinese side was closed. Chinese President Xi Jinping called for an all-out effort from rescue personnel to minimize casualties and properly resettle those whose homes were damaged. CCTV reported that over 3,000 rescue workers have been deployed. Vice Premier Zhang Guoqing of the State Council was dispatched to the region to guide the work, and the government announced an allocation of 100 million yuan (approximately $21.7 million USD) for disaster relief.

According to state media, there are three townships and 27 villages with a population of about 6,900 people within 20 kilometers of the epicenter on the Chinese side. The China Earthquake Networks Center posted on social media that the average altitude of the area is about 4,200 meters. In the southwestern outskirts of Kathmandu, a video showed water from a pond in a small temple courtyard overflowing onto the street. "This is a big earthquake," a woman's voice can be heard saying, "people are all shaking."