Deadly earthquake hits Tibet’s Shigatse: What we know so far

A powerful earthquake has struck a remote region of Tibet, 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.

What was the magnitude of the Tibet earthquake?

The United States Geological Survey said the earthquake measured 7.1 on the Richter scale, while the China Earthquake Networks Center (CENC) recorded a magnitude of 6.8.

The quake, just after 9:05am local time (01:05 GMT), shook the region of western China at a depth of about 10km (6 miles).

Where was the epicentre of the earthquake?

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.

Shigatse is the seat of the Panchen Lama, a significant figure in Tibetan Buddhism, whose spiritual authority is second only to the Dalai Lama.

Dingri is currently experiencing temperatures of about minus 8 degrees Celsius (17.6 degrees Fahrenheit). The China Meteorological Administration forecast that the mercury will drop to minus 18 degrees Celsius by Tuesday evening.

The remote Shigatse is far from China’s main cities. This, combined with the extreme cold, has hindered rescue efforts, according to Al Jazeera’s Katrina Yu, reporting from Beijing.

What do we know about the victims?

At least 95 people have been killed and another 130 people are injured, according to Chinese state media.

A man in Kathmandu was injured after jumping off the top of a house following strong tremors, Nepal Police spokesman Bishwa Adhikari told Reuters.

No other casualties or damages have been reported so far from Nepal, India and Bhutan.

Were houses damaged in the quake?

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.