At least 126 people are killed in the Tibet earthquake, and many more are trapped

At least 126 people were killed in Tibet Tuesday as a powerful earthquake rocked parts of Nepal and a high-altitude region of western China, shattering hundreds of homes and leaving streets covered in debris. Dozens of aftershocks rocked the isolated area, trapping many more.

In severely devastated villages, rescuers ascended piles of shattered bricks, some with ladders, in an effort to find survivors. China’s Ministry of Emergency Management shared videos of personnel walking across the rubble from collapsed homes while carrying two people on stretchers.

According to the official Xinhua News Agency, at least 188 individuals were hurt in Tibet on the Chinese side of the border.

According to state channel CCTV, around 1,000 dwellings were damaged in the desolate and thinly populated area. The broadcaster’s video showed crushed autos and streets filled with building debris.

According to the nation’s National Emergency Operation Center, although the earthquake was felt intensely by people in northeastern Nepal, no initial reports of damage or injuries were made. In the middle of winter, when even some locals relocate to avoid the cold, the region surrounding Mount Everest, which is roughly 75 kilometers (50 miles) southwest of the epicenter, was deserted.

Residents of Kathmandu, the capital of Nepal, which is roughly 230 kilometers (140 miles) from the epicenter, were awakened by the earthquake and fled onto the streets.

According to the U.S. Geological Survey, the earthquake had a magnitude of 7.1 and was only around 10 kilometers (6 miles) deep. The magnitude was 6.8, according to the China Earthquake Networks Center. More damage is frequently caused by shallow earthquakes.

The epicenter was in Tingri County, Tibet, where the India and Eurasia plates collide and earthquakes powerful enough to shift the heights of some of the highest peaks in the Himalayan Mountains can occur.

Although Tibet is a part of China, the Dalai Lama, a spiritual leader who has been living in exile in India since a failed anti-Chinese rebellion in 1959, is the idol of many Tibetans. In Tibet, where it has repressed dissent while making significant investments in economic growth, the Chinese government has been accused of atrocities by Western governments and human rights organizations on numerous occasions.

According to the USGS, the region where Tuesday’s earthquake occurred has seen ten earthquakes of at least magnitude 6 in the last century.

The Mount Everest sightseeing region on the Chinese side was closed, and in the nine hours following the earthquake, there were almost 150 aftershocks recorded.

In order to reduce casualties, rescue individuals, and relocate those whose homes were damaged, Chinese leader Xi Jinping urged for concerted efforts. According to CCTV, around 3,000 rescuers were sent out.

The government declared that 100 million yuan ($13.6 million) will be used for disaster relief, and Vice Premier Zhang Guoqing was sent to oversee the effort.

On the Chinese side, three townships and 27 villages are home to about 6,900 people within 20 kilometers (12.5 miles) of the epicenter, according to state media. According to a social media post from the Chinese earthquake center, the area’s typical elevation is roughly 4,200 meters (13,800 feet).

A pond in a courtyard with a small temple on the southwest side of Kathmandu was seen in a video leaking water into the street.

A woman can be heard saying, “It’s a big earthquake.” “Everyone is trembling.”