Beijing: Rescuers searched into the night for survivors after a major earthquake killed at least 126 people and damaged more than 3,000 buildings in a remote part of the Chinese region of Tibet, near Everest, media reports said.
Additionally, over 30,000 residents have been relocated as the search for survivors continued into its second day on Wednesday.
Another 188 people were injured after the earthquake hit the foothills of the Himalayas at around 09:00 local time (01:00 GMT) on Tuesday, the BBC reported.
A massive rescue operation was initiated, putting survivors under additional stress due to predicted low temperatures of -16C overnight.
Earthquakes are common in the region, which lies on a major geological fault line, but Tuesday’s was one of China’s deadliest in recent years.
The magnitude 7.1 quake, which struck at a depth of 10 km (six miles), according to data from the US Geological Survey, was also felt in Nepal and parts of India, which neighbour Tibet.
Videos published by China’s state broadcaster CCTV showed destroyed houses and brought-down buildings in Tibet’s holy Shigatse city, with rescue workers wading through debris and handing out thick blankets to locals, the report said.
The China Meteorological Administration reports that temperatures in Tingri County, near the earthquake’s epicentre in the northern Himalayas, were as low as -8C before nightfall.
Sangji Dangzhi, whose supermarket was damaged in the earthquake, said the destruction of homes had been extensive.
According to state media, as of 19:00 local time, some 3,609 buildings had collapsed—potentially leaving thousands of people without shelter.
A hotel resident in Shigatse told Chinese media outlet Fengmian News he had been jolted awake by a wave of shaking. He said he had grabbed his socks and rushed out onto the street, where he saw helicopters circling above.
“It felt like even the bed was being lifted,” he said, adding that he immediately knew it was an earthquake because Tibet recently experienced multiple smaller quakes.
According to reports, the region has experienced disruptions in power and water, preventing journalists from accessing them, with over 40 aftershocks occurring within the first few hours following the earthquake.
The Chinese air force has launched rescue efforts and sent drones to the affected area.
President Xi Jinping has also called for all-out search and rescue efforts to minimise casualties and resettle affected residents, the report said.
While strong tremors were felt in Nepal, no major damage or casualties were reported, an official from the National Emergency Operations Centre told BBC Newsday – only “minor damages and cracks on houses.”
