53 dead, 62 injured as 7.1 magnitude earthquake hits Tibet's Xigaze; tremors felt in North India, Nepal

A magnitude 7.1 earthquake hit Nepal early this morning.

A 7.1-magnitude earthquake struck the city of Xigaze in Tibet on Tuesday, killing at least 53 people and injuring 62, with tremors also reaching Nepal, prompting residents to flee their homes. The earthquake hit Dingri County in Tibet’s Xigaze region at 9:05 am (Beijing Time), according to regional disaster relief authorities. As of Tuesday noon, 53 fatalities and 62 injuries have been confirmed, according to reports from state-run Xinhua.

The quake, centered in Tibet’s high-altitude region, caused widespread destruction, including the collapse of homes, trapping residents under rubble. The affected area is home to about 62,000 people, including over 6,900 residents from villages near the epicenter, which lies approximately 93 kilometers northeast of Lobuche, near the Nepal-Tibet border.

The earthquake was recorded as a 6.8 magnitude by the Chinese government, while the US Geological Survey (USGS) and India’s National Earthquake Centre measured it at 7.1. The epicenter was located in Tibet’s Xizang region, near the Khumbu Himalayan range in northeast Nepal. The quake struck at a depth of 10 kilometers, according to the China Earthquake Networks Centre.

In Nepal's capital, Kathmandu, the tremors caused widespread panic, with people rushing out of their homes. The earthquake was also felt in surrounding regions such as Kavrepalanchwok, Sindhupalanchok, Dhading, and Solukhumbu districts. While there was no major damage or casualties in Nepal, many witnessed shaking trees and power lines, and the tremors evoked memories of the 2015 earthquake, which killed nearly 9,000 people.

Rescue operations are underway, with around 1,500 fire and rescue personnel deployed to assist in recovery efforts. Although no fatalities have been reported from Nepal, security forces have been mobilized, particularly around Lobuche, where the tremor was strongly felt. The earthquake also triggered several aftershocks, with magnitudes ranging from 4 to 5, within an hour of the initial quake.

This earthquake is the most powerful to hit the region in the last five years, in an area known for frequent seismic activity due to the ongoing collision between the Indian and Eurasian tectonic plates, which formed the Himalayas. Authorities in both Tibet and Nepal are continuing to assess the full extent of the damage.