Tibet earthquake: Death toll rises to 126; 30,000 evacuated. Top updates

Tibet earthquake news: The earthquake struck at 9.05 am (0105 GMT) on Tuesday, with its epicentre in rural county Tingri

A powerful earthquake measuring 6.8 in magnitude struck the northern Himalayan foothills near Tibet’s Xigaze city on Tuesday morning, causing significant destruction and loss of life. At least 126 people lost their lives, and more than 180 were injured as buildings trembled across neighbouring regions, including Nepal, Bhutan, and India.

 

The China Earthquake Networks Centre (CENC) reported that the quake hit Dingri County in Xigaze, located in the Tibet Autonomous Region, at 9.05 am (Beijing Time) with a depth of 10 km (6.2 miles). According to Chinese state media, 95 fatalities occurred within Tibet alone.

 

Tremors from the earthquake were also felt across northern India, including Delhi-NCR and parts of Bihar.

 

Tibet earthquake: Damage and emergency response

An initial assessment revealed that 3,609 homes were destroyed in Tibet’s Shigatse area, which has a population of around 800,000. Over 500 emergency responders and 106 ambulances were dispatched to the region to provide aid. Emergency supplies such as tents, food, and generators were delivered to affected areas by Tuesday evening, while damaged roads were repaired to facilitate rescue operations, as reported by China's state broadcaster CCTV.

Tibet earthquake 2025: Top updates

- A 7.1-magnitude earthquake in Nepal also caused tremors in Delhi-NCR and several parts of North India.  

- The United States Geological Survey (USGS) reported the Nepal quake at 6.35 am, with its epicentre located 93 km northeast of Lobuche, near the Nepal-Tibet border.  

- The region where the India and Eurasia tectonic plates collide, causing uplifts in the Himalayan mountains, was identified as the epicentre of the earthquake.  

- The 6.8-magnitude quake struck Dingri County at 9.05 am (0105 GMT), as per the CENC.  

- China reported 126 fatalities and 188 injuries on its side of the border.  

- News agency AP cited CCTV reports indicating a few communities within 5 km (3 miles) of the epicentre, located 380 km (240 miles) from Lhasa, Tibet’s capital.  

- The USGS recorded half a dozen aftershocks, ranging in magnitude from 4 to 5, within an hour around 7 am.  

- This earthquake is the strongest recorded in a 200-km radius over the past five years.  

- In comparison, the 2015 Nepal earthquake claimed nearly 9,000 lives and left more than 22,000 injured, destroying over half a million homes.  

- Nepal sits on a major geological fault line where the Indian tectonic plate converges with the Eurasian plate, creating immense seismic activity in the region.

 

[With agency inputs]