New Delhi: A devastating 7.1-magnitude earthquake struck the Nepal-Tibet border region early Tuesday morning, killing at least 126 people and injuring 188 others. Over 1,000 houses collapsed in the wake of the powerful tremor, which caused widespread damage.
The National Centre for Seismology (NCS) confirmed that the earthquake hit at 6:35 a.m. IST, with its epicenter located at latitude 28.86°N and longitude 87.51°E, at a depth of 10 km in the Tibet Autonomous Region (Xizang), close to Nepal’s border.
According to reports from the Xinhua news agency, most of the fatalities occurred in the Xizang region, where significant structural damage and numerous injuries were also reported. In the village of Tonglai, located in Changsuo Township of Dingri in the Xigaze (Shigatse) area, several houses collapsed, adding to the devastation.
The tremors were felt across northern India, including Bihar, West Bengal, Sikkim, and Delhi-NCR, sending residents rushing into the streets in panic. However, there have been no reports of casualties or property damage from India so far.
Following the initial quake, two aftershocks hit the region. The first, a 4.7-magnitude tremor, struck at 7:02 a.m. IST, with its epicenter at latitude 28.60°N and longitude 87.68°E, at a depth of 10 km. A second aftershock, measuring 4.9 in magnitude, followed just five minutes later at 7:07 a.m. IST, with its epicenter located at latitude 28.68°N and longitude 87.54°E, at a depth of 30 km.
The United States Geological Survey (USGS) placed the earthquake’s epicenter approximately 93 km northeast of Lobuche, near the Nepal-Tibet border. Lobuche is situated near the Khumbu Glacier, about 150 km east of Kathmandu and 8.5 km southwest of Everest Base Camp.
Nepal, located in a seismically active zone where the Indian and Eurasian tectonic plates meet, is no stranger to frequent earthquakes. This tectonic activity, responsible for the formation of the Himalayan range, often triggers tremors of varying magnitudes.
Authorities in Nepal and affected regions of India are on high alert, closely monitoring the aftermath. The earthquake has once again raised concerns over the vulnerability of the region to devastating seismic events.
With IANS inputs