A big earthquake causes destruction in Tibet
Dozens are dead, thousands of buildings have been destroyed
A 7.1 magnitude earthquake struck Tibet on January 7th, killing at least 126 people. The quake’s epicentre was in Dingri county, some 50 miles from the base of Mount Everest and near the holy city of Shigatse. The rumbling was felt in Nepal and parts of India. According to an initial survey, over 3,600 buildings were destroyed. Thousands of rescue workers have descended on Tibet to look for survivors. More than 400 people have already been pulled from the rubble, report Chinese state media. Survivors and rescuers face many challenges, such as freezing temperatures and more seismic activity. Since the initial quake, there have been hundreds of aftershocks, some exceeding a magnitude of 4.0.■
Explore more
This article appeared in the China section of the print edition under the headline “An earthquake in Tibet”
From the January 11th 2025 edition
Discover stories from this section and more in the list of contents
Explore the editionMore from China
A pay rise for government workers sparks anger and envy in China
The effort to improve morale has not had the intended effect
Militant Uyghurs in Syria threaten the Chinese government
How much does China have to fear?
Does China have the fiscal firepower to rescue its economy?
There is a fierce debate over whether it can afford to keep spending
China approves the world’s most expensive infrastructure project
It has China’s neighbours on edge
Xi Jinping has much to worry about in 2025
A struggling economy, rising social tensions and Donald Trump will test China’s leader
How China turns members of its diaspora into spies
America is on the hunt for these non-traditional agents. But its efforts risk backfiring
