A powerful earthquake measuring 7.1 on the Richter scale struck near Mount Everest on Tuesday, leaving at least 126 people dead and 188 injured in Tibet, according to reports from China’s state media. The quake caused widespread destruction, with over 1,000 homes damaged, and triggered frantic rescue efforts in the high-altitude region.
The U.S. Geological Survey reported the earthquake was centered in Tibet’s Tingri county, about 50 miles from Mount Everest, and had a shallow depth of six miles, intensifying its impact. Tremors were felt as far away as Kathmandu, Nepal’s capital, where residents fled their homes in panic.
Rescue teams are working in challenging conditions, climbing through rubble in hard-hit villages to search for survivors. More than 3,000 rescuers have been deployed to the area, which sits at an average altitude of 13,800 feet. Videos released by China’s Ministry of Emergency Management showed workers carrying survivors on stretchers over debris from collapsed buildings.
The Mount Everest scenic area on the Chinese side has been closed as a safety precaution, and more than 50 aftershocks have been recorded in the hours following the main quake. State media reported that the affected area includes three townships and 27 villages, home to approximately 7,000 residents within 12.5 miles of the epicenter.
In Kathmandu, about 140 miles from the epicenter, residents described the quake as terrifying. Videos showed water spilling from a pond near a temple as people ran into the streets. “It is a big earthquake,” a woman was heard saying in footage shared with the Associated Press.
Relief efforts are ongoing, with authorities working to assess the full scope of the disaster. The region’s high altitude and remote location are expected to complicate rescue and recovery operations in the coming days.