Strong earthquake kills dozens in region of Tibet near Mount Everest

BEIJING — A strong earthquake killed at least 95 people in Tibet on Tuesday and left many others trapped as dozens of aftershocks shook the high-altitude region of western China and across the border in Nepal.

Officials in the region said at a brief news conference that 130 others were injured, state broadcaster CCTV said.

Video on CCTV showed orange-suited rescue workers climbing piles of debris blocking homes in a heavily damaged village, while chunks that had been knocked off buildings littered streets and crushed cars in other areas.

State media reported that about 1,000 houses were damaged and 130 people were injured in addition to the deaths, citing the Tibet earthquake relief headquarters.

The U.S. Geological Survey said the earthquake measured magnitude 7.1 and was relatively shallow at a depth of about 6 miles. China recorded the magnitude as 6.8.

The epicenter was about 75 kilometers (50 miles) northeast of Mount Everest, which straddles the China-Nepal border. The area is seismically active and is where the India and Eurasia plates clash and cause uplifts in the Himalayan mountains strong enough to change the heights of some of the world’s tallest peaks.

About 50 aftershocks were recorded in the three hours after the earthquake, and the Mount Everest scenic area on the Chinese side was closed after the quake.

About 1,500 fire and rescue workers were deployed to search for people, the Ministry of Emergency Management. Two hundred soldiers joined the search, CCTV said.

Chinese leader Xi Jinping. called for all-out efforts to rescue people, minimize casualties and resettle those whose homes were damaged. Vice Premier Zhang Guoqing, was dispatched to the area to guide the work.

CCTV said there are a handful of communities within 3 miles of the epicenter, which was 380 kilometers (240 miles) from Lhasa, the capital of Tibet, and about 14 miles from the region’s second-largest city of Shigatse, known as Xigaze in Chinese.

The average altitude in the area around the epicenter is about 13,800 feet, the China Earthquake Networks Center said in a social media post.

In Nepal, authorities asked officials in the mountainous area near the epicenter to search for any casualties or damage.

The National Emergency Operation Center in Kathmandu said people in northeastern Nepal strongly felt the earthquake but there were no immediate reports of injuries or damage to houses.

A police officer in Solukhumbu district, where Mount Everest is located, said by telephone that there were no reports of damage. The area, often crowded with climbers and hikers, was empty in the depth of winter. Many residents move to the south to avoid the harsh winter.

About 140 miles from the epicenter in Nepal’s capital, Kathmandu, the earthquake woke up residents and sent them running out of their homes into the streets.

There have been 10 earthquakes of at least magnitude 6 in the area where Tuesday’s quake hit over the past century, the USGS said.

 

A looming ‘demographic cliff’: Fewer college students and ultimately fewer graduates

The long-predicted downturn in the number of 18-year-olds is almost here. And it isn't just a problem for higher education. It's a looming crisis for the economy.

‘Don’t be boring!’ How to cope with the social pressure to drink during Dry January

What do you say to people when they ask you why you aren't drinking? How do you get your friends to hang out in places other than bars? We tackle the social conundrums of sober socializing.

Winter illnesses return with a vengeance

The annual winter respiratory virus season is in full force. The number of people catching the flu is skyrocketing, while COVID-19, RSV and other respiratory viral illnesses are also rising.

As winter storms strike, airlines scramble to de-ice planes and keep them flying

A pair of powerful major winter storms is disrupting the U.S. air travel system this week. That leaves airlines no choice but to de-ice their planes before takeoff to keep them in the air.

Bezos’ Blue Origin is nearing liftoff on the 1st flight of its newest, biggest rocket

New Glenn, developed by the private space firm founded by billionaire Jeff Bezos, is on the pad at Cape Canaveral, Fla., and could launch on its maiden flight as early as Friday.

What to know about the wildfires spreading through Southern California

Three wildfires are currently impacting Los Angeles and Ventura counties, prompting thousands of people to evacuate, schools to close and power lines to be shut off.

More Front Page Coverage