Earthquake of 6.8 magnitude in Tibet kills 32 people with tremors felt in Nepal

Pic/AFP

A 6.8-magnitude earthquake jolted the city of Xigaze in Tibet on Tuesday, killing at least 32 people and injuring 38, Chinese state media reported.

According to regional disaster relief headquarters, the quake jolted Dingri County in Xigaze in Tibet Autonomous Region in China at 9:05 am Tuesday (Beijing Time), reported PTI.

Thirty-two people were killed and 38 injured during the 6.8-magnitude earthquake, state-run Xinhua reported.

The US Geological Survey (USGS) and the National Earthquake Centre of India put the magnitude to 7.1 saying the epicentre is located at China's Xizang of Tingri county, located 90 km North-East of Lobutse in the Khumbu Himalayan range of North-East Nepal, reported PTI.

However, China recorded a magnitude of 6.8. The quake struck at a depth of 10 km, according to a report issued by the China Earthquake Networks Centre, state-run Xinhua reported.

Meanwhile, in Nepal's Kathmandu, the strong earthquake forced people to run out of their houses. It was felt in Kavrepalanchwok, Sindhupalanchok Dhading and Solukhumbu districts as well.

Many people came out of their houses due to panic in Kathmandu. People witnessed the trees and electric wires on the streets shaking for some time.

At least half a dozen tremors with magnitude ranging from 4 to 5 were also recorded within a time span of an hour around 7 am, according to the USGS report.

The tremor was strong enough to terrorise people in Nepal, who recalled the 2015 great earthquake that killed 9,000 people.

However, a Nepal Police spokesperson says that so far they have not received any information regarding any major physical damage or human causality.

As the epicentre lies in Tibet stronger tremors were felt by people living in Northern Nepal, Nepal Police spokesperson Bishwo Adhikari said.

Speaking with ANI, Kathmandu resident Meera Adhikari said, "I was sleeping at the time when the earthquake struck. The bed was shaking and I thought my child was moving the bed. I didn't pay that much attention but the shaking of the window prompted me to think that it's an earthquake. I then hurriedly called my child and evacuated the house and came to the open ground. I am still shaking out of fear and am in shock."

Tremors were also felt in Bihar's Sheohar district, authorities said.

(With inputs from PTI and ANI)