At least 95 people have reportedly died and 130 others been injured after an earthquake hit western China.
On Tuesday, Jan. 7 at around 9:00 a.m. local time, the earthquake struck Tibet’s holy city of Shigatse, according to the BBC.
Multiple aftershocks affected the “high-altitude region of western China and across the border in Nepal,” reported the Associated Press. The BBC stated that tremors had also been felt in parts of India.
The United States Geological Survey (USGS) measured the magnitude as 7.1 with a depth of approximately 10 kilometers (6 miles), but multiple local outlets including China Daily and state broadcaster China Central Television (CCTV) listed it as a 6.8 magnitude.
Per the USGS, the quake “near Xizang, China, occurred as the result of normal faulting at shallow depth north of the boundary between the Eurasia and Indian plates.”
The AP reported that 1,000 houses had been damaged in the earthquake, with over 130 people injured, citing the Tibet earthquake relief headquarters and state media.
Chinese leader Xi Jinping “ordered utmost efforts to treat the injured,” per CCTV, which stated he’d also “urged efforts to prevent secondary disasters, properly resettle affected residents, and handle the aftermath work effectively.”
The Mount Qomolangma (Everest) Scenic Area on the China side was closed after the earthquake, per the AP and China Daily. The AP reported that the quake’s epicenter was about 50 miles northeast of the world’s highest mountain.
Per China Daily, a staff member in the area stated that tourist vehicles planning to visit had “ceased operations,” citing Fengmian News, adding that it “will reopen based on the situation after the aftershocks.”
The outlet reported that a 4.4 magnitude quake had been the strongest aftershock felt so far, citing Xiaoxiang Morning News.
Despite aftershocks being felt in Nepal, “no major damage or casualties” have been reported aside from “minor damages and cracks on houses,” the BBC stated, citing a National Emergency Operations Centre official who spoke to BBC Newsday.
The National Emergency Operation Center in Kathmandu didn’t immediately respond when contacted by PEOPLE.
Never miss a story — sign up for PEOPLE’s free daily newsletter to stay up-to-date on the best of what PEOPLE has to offer, from celebrity news to compelling human-interest stories.
Tuesday’s earthquake reminded Kathmandu residents of the 7.8 magnitude quake that killed almost 9,000 people and injured over 20,000 others near Nepal’s capital in 2015, the BBC added.
Manju Neupane, who owns a shop in Kathmandu, told BBC Nepali, “In 2015, when the earthquake hit, I could not even move. Today the situation was not scary like that. But, I am scared that another major earthquake may hit us and we will be trapped between tall buildings.”
The USGS stated on its website, “The region near the India and Eurasia plate boundary has a history of large earthquakes. In the past century, there have been 10 earthquakes of magnitude 6 and greater within 250 km of the January 7, 2025, earthquake.”
“This includes the 2015 M7.3 Nepal earthquake, located about 160 km to the southwest and the 1934 M8.0 earthquake, located about 160 to the south-southwest. The 2015 M7.3 Nepal earthquake was an aftershock of the April 25, 2015 M7.8 Nepal earthquake. This sequence of 2015 events resulted in 8,669 fatalities and widespread damage,” the post added.
Read the full article here
