A devastating earthquake struck the remote Tibet region of China, with the death toll now reaching 126, and at least 188 individuals reported injured.
The earthquake, registering 7.1 on the Richter scale, hit early on Tuesday morning, at precisely 7:05am, in the northern foothills of the Himalayas, close to some of Tibet's holiest cities.
Tremors were also felt in neighbouring regions of Nepal, Bhutan, and northern India, as reported by the Hong Kong Free Press on Wednesday (8 January).
The epicentre of the quake was located 10 kilometres beneath the surface in Sogo, a town in the remote Dingri County, which is regarded as the northern gateway to the Himalayan mountain range.
Within a 20-kilometre radius of the epicentre lie three cities and 27 villages, with a combined population of approximately 6,900.
The majority of casualties and destruction were reported in Dingri County's Changso city, specifically in the Tonglai area, where numerous houses were collapsed. The Shigatse region, where Dingri County is located, has a population of nearly 800,000.
Shigatse, Tibet’s second-largest city, is also close to the epicentre and was significantly affected by the tremor.
Located around 280 kilometres southwest of Lhasa, Shigatse is considered Tibet's second holiest city and the residence of the Panchen Lama.
According to the county’s chief, the earthquake was particularly intense in Dingri, and in the aftermath, dozens of aftershocks were felt. Local authorities are currently assessing the damage across several towns.
This earthquake is part of a broader seismic activity triggered by the collision of the Indian and Eurasian tectonic plates, which causes frequent quakes in southwestern China, Nepal, and northern India.
The tremor was also felt in Bangladesh, along with Nepal, Bhutan, and northern India.
