Tibet earthquake kills at least 95
Chinese officials have reported that an earthquake has killed at least 95 people in Tibet, leaving countless others injured and trapped. Changsuo, Quluo and Cuoguo are among the townships affected
According to Al Jazeera on January 7 Xinhua News Agency has reported that 130 people were injured in the earthquake.
Aftershocks have continued to shake Western China, as well as the neighbouring state of Nepal.
Around 1,500 firefighters and rescue workers are involved in the search for people in the rubble, according to the Ministry of Emergency Management.
The earthquake struck at 9:05am local time (01:05 GMT) at a depth of 10km. (6.2 miles) The China Earthquake Networks Centre measured the Earthquake at a 6.8 on The Richter Scale, while the United States Geological Survey put its magnitude at 7.1.
An earthquake scoring 6.8 on The Richter Scale is considered to be a strong one, having the power to cause severe damage and injury. The strongest of the aftershocks measured a magnitude of 4.4
Chinese President Xi Jinping has called for all-out search and rescue efforts in order to minimise casualties, resettle those affected, all whilst ensuring a safe winter.
Images captured in the affected areas have shown collapsed buildings and homes.
“These are very remote villages in mountainous areas that are difficult to access and that difficulty will be increased by the fact that it is winter now, very cold and not very close to any major city,” Al Jazeera`s Katarina Yu said.
According to Reuters, crumbled shop fronts can be seen in a video showing the aftermath in Lhatse.
Among the affected areas is Shigatse, considered one of Tibet’s holiest cities and the seat of the Panchen Lama, one of the most important figures in Tibetan Buddhism, second in authority to the Dalai Lama
Tremors also made their way to northern India’s Bihar state and Nepal’s capital, Kathmandu, some 400km (248 miles) away.
Areas around Nepal’s Himalayan region near Mount Everest experienced aftershocks and tremors.
“It shook quite strongly here, everyone is awake, but we don’t know about any damages yet,” stated Jagat Prasad Bhusal, a Nepalese government official.
Thus far there are no reports of casualties in Nepal.
Despite this, police and other security forces are tasked with collecting information on the impact of the earthquake, according to Reuters after speaking with a local official.
Both Nepal and southwestern parts of China experience frequent earthquakes.
Al Jazeera, Reuters
