A magnitude 7.1 earthquake struck Nepal’s Lobuche region early Tuesday morning, according to the United States Geological Survey (USGS). The quake, which occurred around 6:35 AM IST, was centered approximately 93 kilometers northeast of Lobuche.
India’s National Centre for Seismology (NCS) also reported a series of earthquakes in the Xizang region of Tibet, which lies within the Tibet Autonomous Region of China. The first tremor, measuring 7.1 in magnitude, was recorded at the same time—6:35 AM IST—at a depth of 10 kilometers.
The earthquakes along the Nepal-China border caused widespread panic, forcing residents to evacuate their homes and seek safety in open spaces.
Tremors were felt as far as the northern Indian state of Bihar, where people fled buildings as walls shook.
So far, no reports of any damage or loss to property have been received, officials in India said.
A magnitude 7.1 earthquake is considered very strong, with the potential to cause severe structural damage.
Southwestern China, including the Tibet region, is prone to frequent seismic activity.
According to China’s state broadcaster CCTV, there have been 29 earthquakes with magnitudes of 3 or higher within 200 km of the Shigatse quake in the past five years, all of which were smaller than the one that struck on Tuesday morning.
In 2015, a magnitude 7.8 tremor struck near Kathmandu in neighbouring Nepal, killing about 9,000 people and injuring thousands in that country’s worst earthquake.
(With inputs from agencies)
