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Rescue operations are ongoing following a powerful earthquake in Tibet that has claimed the lives of over 120 individuals. Chinese officials reported that more than 400 people trapped by the quake in the Himalayan foothills have been rescued, while over 30,000 residents have been evacuated as the search for survivors continued into its second day on Wednesday.
The epicenter of the 6.8 magnitude earthquake, one of the strongest in the region in recent years, was located in Tingri, Tibet, approximately 80 km (50 miles) north of Mount Everest. The tremor also affected buildings in neighboring Nepal, Bhutan, and India.
According to a report by Business Recorder, survivors trapped under debris have faced a night of sub-zero temperatures, increasing their risk of hypothermia and dehydration, 24 hours after the quake struck.
An initial assessment indicated that 3,609 homes were destroyed in the Shigatse region of Tibet, which has a population of 800,000, according to Chinese state media citing local officials.
To assist the injured, more than 500 personnel and 106 ambulances have been deployed.
At least 126 fatalities and 188 injuries have been reported on the Tibetan side, as per China’s state broadcaster CCTV. No casualties have been reported in Nepal or other areas.
Temperatures in the high-altitude region plummeted to as low as minus 18 degrees Celsius (0 degrees Fahrenheit) overnight, exacerbating the plight of those left without shelter.
By late Tuesday, tents, food supplies, electrical generators, and other essentials had arrived at the affected area, and all roads damaged by the earthquake had been reopened, CCTV reported.
The southwestern regions of China, along with Nepal and northern India, frequently experience earthquakes due to the collision of the Indian and Eurasian tectonic plates, which are elevating the ancient sea that now forms the Qinghai-Tibetan plateau.
