Tibet Earthquake Kills Many
Tibet Earthquake Kills Many
Noriko Watanabe and Michiyo Tanabe
Modern Tokyo Times
A powerful 7.1-magnitude earthquake hit an isolated part of Tibet. Early reports claim that at least 120 people have died. However, the death toll might increase because of the remoteness of this part of Tibet.
Tremors could be felt in Bhutan, Nepal, and northern India.
The BBC reports, “Temperatures in Tingri county, near the earthquake’s epicenter in the northern foothills of the Himalayas, are around -8C (17.6F), and will drop to -18C by evening, according to the China Meteorological Administration.”
Accordingly, local people, firefighters, and rescue workers are urgently looking for people in remote villages. The authorities in Beijing also requested the armed forces of China to assist in the rescue mission.
Reuters reports, “Villages in Tingri, where the average elevation is around 4,000-5,000 meters (13,000-16,000 feet), reported strong shaking during the quake, which was followed more than 150 aftershocks with magnitudes of up to 4.4.”
The earthquake damaged at least 1,000 homes. Hence, the severe cold at night entails that the government of China is acting quickly to help people left homeless by the tragedy.
CNN reports, “The nearest major city to the epicenter is the holy city of Shigatse, which lies some 180 km (111 miles) away. The city is home to about 800,000 people and the traditional seat of the Panchen Lama, the second-highest spiritual leader in Tibetan Buddhism, second only to the Dalai Lama.”
The exiled Dalai Lama said, “I offer my prayers for those who have lost their lives and extend my wishes for a swift recovery to all who have been injured.”
The BBC says, “The current Dalai Lama fled Tibet to India in 1959 and has since been seen as an alternative source of power for Tibetans who resent Beijing’s control of the region. Many believe China will also choose its own Dalai Lama when the current one dies.”
Earthquakes in the environs of the Himalayas mountain range have hit several nations in recent history.
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