6.8 magnitude hit China, at least 95 dead, dozens wounded

A 6.8 magnitude powerful earthquake has hit the region of Tibet in China killing at least 95 people and wounding dozens, with tremors felt in Nepal, Bhutan and parts of northern India. Videos aired by China’s state broadcaster CCTV showed houses destroyed with the official Xinhua News Agency saying more than 1,000 houses were damaged. The epicentre of the quake was Shigatse, one of the holiest cities of Tibet

.The China Earthquake Networks Center (CENC) measured the magnitude of the earthquake as 6.8. while the United States Geological Survey said the earthquake measured 7.1 on the Richter scale. The quake, just after 9:05 am local time, shook the region of western China at a depth of about 10km (6 miles).

The epicentre of the quake was the Shigatse high-altitude county of Dingri, located on the Chinese side of Mount Everest and home to about 62,000 people. Tuesday’s quake was the most powerful recorded within a 200km (124-mile) radius in the last five years, the CENC added.

Shigatse is the seat of the Panchen Lama, a significant figure in Tibetan Buddhism, whose spiritual authority is second only to the Dalai Lama. The remote Shigatse is far from China’s main cities. This, combined with the extreme cold, has hindered rescue efforts, Al Jazeera reports.

At least 95 people have been killed and 130 people injured, according to Chinese state media. The earthquake caused infrastructural damage, with images showing collapsed homes and other buildings reduced to rubble. The Xinhua news agency reported that more than 1,000 houses have been damaged to varying degrees.

“Dingri county and its surrounding areas experienced very strong tremors, and many buildings near the epicentre have collapsed,” according to the state broadcaster CCTV. In the town of Lhatse, videos geolocated by AFP showed debris scattered in front of streetside eateries.

The Chinese government has deployed some 1,500 rescue workers, including military personnel, to the area.

Xinhua reported that some 22,000 items of disaster relief aid have been dispatched to the affected areas, which include cotton tents, quilts and items for high-altitude areas.

Chinese President Xi Jinping emphasised “the all-out search and rescue efforts, minimising casualties to the greatest extent possible, properly resettling affected residents, and ensuring their safety and warmth through the winter”, CCTV added.

Xinhua said that “local authorities are reaching out to various townships in the county to assess the impact of the quake”.