Dozens dead after earthquake strikes Tibet – Xinhua

At least 53 people have been confirmed dead and 62 injured after a powerful earthquake hit China’s Tibet Autonomous Region, the Xinhua news agency has reported.

The quake, with a magnitude of 6.8, struck a remote mountainous area  at 9:05 am local time on Tuesday, according to the agency. The US Geological Survey (USGS) registered a magnitude of 7.1.

The China Earthquake Networks Center (CENC) said the epicenter was located at a depth of 10km (6.2 miles) in Tibet’s Dingri County, not far from the border with Nepal.

Tremors were reportedly been felt in Nepal and parts of India. The quake was followed by dozens of aftershocks, according to CENC.

More than 1,000 homes in Dingri County have collapsed or are damaged, Xinhua said. Some areas have lost phone signals, according to the broadcaster CCTV.

Videos from the area, uploaded on Chinese social media, showed ruined buildings along with debris piled on the streets. A large number of cars and motorcycles have been damaged, judging by the clips.

Rescuers have been deployed to Dingri County, and the Chinese air force is also taking part in the operation, CCTV said.

Chinese President Xi Jinping issued a statement after the earthquake, urging local officials to make every effort to locate and rescue the survivors, minimize casualties, and properly accommodate the affected residents amid the cold winter conditions.

According to Xinhua, Dingri County is sparsely populated, with around 6,900 people living in 27 villages within a 20-km (12-miles) radius of the epicenter.

The nearest major city, Shigatse, which has a population of some 640,000, is located around 180km (111 miles) to the north-east.