The death toll from the powerful earthquake that hit Dingri County in Xigaze City, within the Xizang Autonomous Region, has climbed to 95, up from the initial count of 53, according to a report by CNN.
Earlier, citing regional disaster relief authorities, Xinhua had reported 53 fatalities and 62 injuries.
Another 130 people were injured, local authorities said on Tuesday afternoon. More than 1,000 houses were damaged in Tingri county, where the epicentre is located, state news agency Xinhua reported.
The area near the earthquake’s epicentre is lightly populated. Approximately 6,900 people are believed to reside in 27 villages within a 20-kilometre radius of the epicentre.
The nearest major city to the epicentre is the city of Shigatse, which lies approximately 180 kilometres away.
In a statement following the quake, Chinese leader Xi Jinping called on officials to make all-out efforts to search and rescue survivors, minimize casualties, properly accommodate affected residents, and ensure their safety and warmth in the winter cold, CNN reported.
The United States Geological Survey (USGS) said that 7.1-magnitude earthquake struck at 09:05 am local time at a depth of 10 kilometre and was followed by multiple aftershocks. According to the China Earthquake Networks Center, a total of 49 aftershocks were recorded.
According to the National Center for Seismology, the latest aftershock was of magnitude 4.5 at 13:24 pm IST.
In response, the Chinese military deployed a drone to assess the situation at the epicentre, the People’s Liberation Army (PLA) Western Theater Command announced.
The theater command’s air force immediately activated a disaster relief emergency plan, it said, adding that a team of transport and medical planes, helicopters, and ground forces is on standby to assist with disaster relief, Xinhua reported.
The tremors were also felt in Nepal’s capital, Kathmandu, and Bihar’s Sheohar district, authorities said.
The earthquakes along the Nepal-China border also forced residents to evacuate their homes and move to open spaces. No casualties were reported in these areas so far. (ANI)
