Tibet, China earthquake leaves at least 95 dead and causes widespread damage
Collapsed buildings are seen after an earthquake in Dahejia, Jishishan county, Gansu province in northwest China, Dec. 19, 2023. (AFP Photo)
A magnitude 6.8 earthquake struck Dingri county in China’s remote Tibet region near the Nepal border on Tuesday morning, killing at least 95 people and collapsing numerous buildings, according to Chinese state media. Tremors were also felt in Nepal’s capital, Kathmandu, and surrounding areas.
The China Earthquake Networks Center (CENC) reported the quake at 9:05 a.m. local time, while the U.S. Geological Survey recorded a higher magnitude of 7.1. State broadcaster CCTV described “very strong tremors” near the epicenter, with significant structural damage.
Authorities confirmed at least 95 fatalities and reported multiple aftershocks, the strongest registering a magnitude of 4.4. Rescue operations were underway as local officials assessed the impact across the high-altitude county, home to approximately 62,000 residents. Dingri county is located on the Chinese side of Mount Everest.
The quake marks the strongest seismic event within a 200-kilometer radius of the region in the past five years, according to the CENC.
In Nepal, tremors reached areas around Lobuche and Namche, closer to Mount Everest. Jagat Prasad Bhusal, a government official in Namche, said, “It shook quite strongly here, everyone is awake, but we don’t know about any damages yet.”
Nepal and the surrounding Himalayan region are prone to earthquakes due to the collision of the Indian and Eurasian tectonic plates. The 2015 Nepal earthquake, with a magnitude of 7.8, killed nearly 9,000 people and left more than 22,000 injured.
Rescue efforts are ongoing in both China and Nepal as officials brace for further aftershocks in the region.
