A powerful earthquake that shook Tibet on January 7 killed at least 126 people. Another 188 were injured, and an unknown number of people are still trapped under the rubble.
Reuters writes about this.
The 6.8-magnitude earthquake struck the Tingri district in the foothills of the Himalayas, about 80 km north of Mount Everest, the worldʼs highest mountain, on the morning of January 7. The tremors were also felt in neighboring Nepal, Bhutan and India.
According to Chinese state media, the death toll from the earthquake has now reached 126, with 188 injured. The tremors destroyed more than 3,600 houses in Shigatse prefecture in Tibet.
More than 400 people were rescued from the rubble, but it is unknown how many people still remain missing.
Rescue efforts are being hampered by more than 500 aftershocks since the largest one, and severe cold. Temperatures dropped to -18°C overnight, making it difficult for people still trapped under the rubble to survive.
Many people were left homeless, with eyewitnesses saying that houses were "shattering" from the force of the earthquake. Authorities are looking for temporary shelters and heating for the victims.
China deployed more than 1,800 rescue workers and 1,600 soldiers to deal with the aftermath of the earthquake.
People gather after an earthquake in Kathmandu, Nepal, January 7, 2025.
Tibet is an autonomous region in southwestern China. It has its own Peopleʼs Government and Peopleʼs Congress, but is controlled by the Communist Party. Tibet gained independence in 1912, but China restored its rule in 1951. Tibet was granted autonomy in 1965. China claims to be fighting poverty and supporting local culture, but at the same time it is also fighting the influence of Buddhism in the region.
Many Tibetans in exile accuse Beijing of religious repression and the destruction of their culture. This makes the issue of Tibet a very sensitive one for Beijing — the government rejects the accusations and claims that Tibet has developed significantly under its rule.
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