Source: National Center for Seismology, New Delhi
New Delhi/Kathmandu: Many are feared killed and several others injured in an earthquake of magnitude 7.1 that struck Tibet near the Nepalese border today. Indian states of Bihar, Assam, and West Bengal were among the regions that also experienced the earthquake’s vibrations.
Chinese official news agency Xinhua reported fifty-three confirmed deaths as of Tuesday noon. At least 62 others suffered injuries, it stated.
The earthquake jolted Dingri County in the city of Xigaze in Xizang (Tibet) Autonomous Region at 9:05 am (local time).
According to the National Centre for Seismology (NCS), New Delhi, the 7.1 magnitude earthquake was recorded at 6:35:18 am (IST) with the epicentre at a depth of 10 kilometres at latitude 28.6 and longitude 87.51.
Aftershocks continue in the region and the region experienced 12 such aftershocks till 11:27:19 am today, the NCS said.
The quake caused intense ground shaking in Kathmandu too, which is about 230 kilometers from the epicenter. A local resident Brinda Pradhan told Global Bihari that she was asleep when suddenly the ground started shaking.
“It was very severe and it lasted around one minute although the official announcement later said it to last 35 seconds,” she said.
While some damage to infrastructure is reported in Nepal, in Kathmandu there was not much damage, she said. The strong shaking of the ground panicked residents with many evacuating buildings and coming out in open. However, life soon became normal in the Nepali capital.
In Tibet, at least six nearby villages experienced substantial damage, with many residents trapped beneath debris. A large team of around 1,500 fire and rescue workers were mobilized to conduct search and rescue efforts.
This area is known for its seismic activity, a result of the collision between the Indian and Eurasian tectonic plates, which form the Himalayan mountain range. Such tectonic movements have historically caused significant earthquakes in both Tibet and Nepal. For reference, a devastating magnitude 7.8 earthquake struck near Kathmandu in 2015, leading to nearly 9,000 fatalities and widespread destruction.
– global bihari bureau
