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| Houses destroyed by an earthquake in China's Tibet region. January 7, 2024 | Photo: Reuters |
The death toll from a powerful earthquake that struck China's remote Tibet region on Tuesday morning has risen to 95, with many homes and buildings collapsing, Chinese state media reported.
The China Earthquake Networks Center (CENC) said the earthquake struck at 9:05 a.m. local time today. The epicenter of the earthquake was in Dingri County, Tibet, bordering neighboring Nepal.
The CENC said the magnitude of the earthquake was 6.8 on the Richter scale. However, the United States Geological Survey (USGS) said the magnitude of the earthquake was 7.1 on the Richter scale.
The earthquake was felt in Kathmandu, the capital of Nepal. In addition, there were reports of earthquakes being felt in various parts of India.
According to Chinese state media Xinhua, a total of 95 people have been confirmed dead in the earthquake as of 3 p.m. local time. 130 people have been injured.
China's state broadcaster CCTV said the quake was felt in and around Dingri County, causing several buildings to collapse near the epicenter.
The morning earthquake was followed by multiple aftershocks in the region, with the highest magnitude being 4.4 on the Richter scale.
According to Xinhua news agency, local authorities have sent people to the suburbs of Dingri County to monitor the earthquake damage.
The highest county in Tibet is home to about 62,000 people. It is located on the Chinese side of Mount Everest. Earthquakes regularly occur in the region.