Strong earthquake in Tibet, 53 people died, China urgently took action

An earthquake measuring 6.8 on the Richter scale shook Dingri County in Shigatse City in the Tibet Autonomous Region at 9:05 a.m. on January 7, Beijing time (about 8:05 a.m. on the same day, Vietnam time).

Rescuers search for survivors after a strong earthquake in Dingri County in Shigatse City, Tibet Autonomous Region, China, Jan. 7. (Source: Xinhua)

According to the China Earthquake Networks Center (CENC), the epicenter of the earthquake was at a depth of 10 km, at coordinates 28.5 degrees north latitude and 87.45 degrees east longitude.

Meanwhile, the US Geological Survey (USGS) recorded a magnitude of 7.1 with an epicenter in the Tibet Autonomous Region near Nepal and a focal point of about 10 km. People in the capital Kathmandu of Nepal and some areas in India could feel the aftershocks of this earthquake.

The epicenter was located where the Indian and Eurasian tectonic plates collided, causing the uplift of the Himalayas. This also led to dramatic geological changes in the region, including changes in the elevation of the world's highest peaks.

China Central Television (CCTV) said there were several communities living within 5 km of the epicenter, which is 380 km from the Tibetan capital Lhasa and 23 km from the city of Xigazê.

According to local reports, 53 people have been killed and 62 injured. Several houses have collapsed in Tonglai Village, Changsuo Township, Dingri County. Dingri County authorities are urgently contacting towns in the area to continue assessing the damage.

Currently, people in some towns have been evacuated to safe places, the collapsed houses are mainly mud houses. Some areas are without electricity, no water and people are trapped and cannot move to safe places. However, the outside temperature is dropping to minus 7°C and the lowest temperature can drop to minus 18°C, making rescue work very difficult.

Immediately after the earthquake, Chinese President Xi Jinping issued an important directive, requiring the comprehensive deployment of search and rescue work, minimizing casualties, arranging reasonable accommodation for the affected people, ensuring they get through the winter safely and warmly.

The Office of the National Disaster Prevention, Mitigation and Relief Committee, Ministry of Emergency Management has initiated a national disaster relief emergency response at level 4 in a four-level system (level 1 is the highest).

The above office also coordinated with the National Food and Material Reserves Department to urgently allocate 22,000 packages of disaster relief goods, including cotton tents, cotton coats, cotton blankets, folding beds... and special disaster relief items for cold climates and highland areas to support local authorities in rescue and relief work for affected people.

Leaders of the Tibet Autonomous Region arrived at the scene, demanding all-out efforts to rescue the injured, investigate the situation, strengthen coordination, and effectively protect the safety of people's lives and property.

Currently, Chinese authorities are urgently carrying out rescue operations. As of 11:40 a.m. on January 7, local time, the country has mobilized 1,500 firefighters and 256 specialized vehicles to the scene to deploy rescue operations.

Source: https://baoquocte.vn/dong-dat-manh-o-tay-tang-53-nguoi-tu-vong-trung-quoc-khan-cap-hanh-dong-300007.html