A powerful 7.1 magnitude earthquake struck Tibet near the Nepalese border today, resulting in at least 50 fatalities and 60 injuries. The tremor, which occurred at 6:35 am local time, also caused widespread damage, particularly in Tingri county, Shigatse city, near the Mount Everest region.
The earthquake’s epicenter was located around 400 km southwest of Tibet’s capital, Lhasa. Aftershocks followed, including a 4.7 magnitude tremor at 7:02 am and a 4.9 magnitude tremor shortly after.
The most affected areas include Changsuo, Quluo, and Cuoguo, where many buildings collapsed. Images from Lhatse, about 150 km east of Shigatse, showed crumbled shop fronts and debris on the road.
Powerful tremors were also felt in northern India and Nepal, where residents fled their homes in fear. Nepal has yet to report casualties, but officials are assessing the damage.
This region has a history of seismic activity, with recent smaller quakes occurring nearby.