Tibet earthquake: Death toll rises to at least 126 after major tremor
Far from help, in the foothills of Mount Everest, people in a remote area of China, have been digging for survivors of a strong earthquake. ITV News correspondent Neil Connery reports.
A powerful earthquake in Tibet has killed at least 126 people, with many still trapped, as aftershocks shake the province, neighbouring Nepal and parts of Western China.
About 188 others are reported to have been injured when the 7.1-magnitude quake struck on Tuesday morning, Chinese authorities said.
About 1,500 fire and rescue workers were deployed to search for people in the rubble after around 1,000 houses were damaged, the Chinese Ministry of Emergency Management said.
At least nineteen people have been sent to the People's Hospital of Xigaze for treatment.
Videos showed damaged buildings and cars, and debris in the Xigaze region in southern Tibet. Emergency services and soldiers responding to the incident can also be seen in the footage.
In a statement after the quake, Chinese leader Xi Jinping urged officials to prioritise search and rescue efforts, provide proper shelter for affected residents, and ensure their safety and warmth during the winter.
Both the US Geological Survey (USGS) and the China Earthquake Networks Center say the epicentre was about 50 miles northeast of Mount Everest, near the border.
The region is seismically active, where the Indian and Eurasian plates collide, pushing up the Himalayas and altering the heights of some of the world's tallest peaks.
In Nepal's capital, Kathmandu, the earthquake woke up residents and sent them running out of their homes.
“It was very strong. People came running out of their houses. You could see the wires from poles shaken loose,” said Bishal Nath Upreti from the Nepal Centre for Disaster Management, a non-government organisation in Kathmandu.
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