A devastating earthquake with a magnitude of 6.8 struck Tibet’s Shigatse region on January 7, 2025, at 9:05 a.m. local time, resulting in at least 95 fatalities and over 100 injuries.
The quake’s epicenter was near Tingri County, approximately 80 kilometers north of Mount Everest.
The tremors were felt across neighboring countries, including Nepal, Bhutan, and India, causing buildings to shake and prompting residents to evacuate in fear.
In Nepal’s capital, Kathmandu, residents reported feeling the quake, though no significant damage or casualties have been reported there.
Chinese President Xi Jinping has called for all-out efforts in rescue operations, emphasizing the need to minimize casualties and provide prompt assistance to those affected.
Emergency response teams have been deployed to the region to assist with rescue and relief efforts.
The earthquake’s impact has been exacerbated by the region’s challenging terrain and cold temperatures, with nighttime lows dropping to -18°C (0°F), complicating rescue operations and posing additional risks to survivors.
This earthquake is the most powerful to hit the region in recent years, highlighting the seismic vulnerability of the Himalayan area, where the Indian and Eurasian tectonic plates converge.
