Hong Kong
CNN
—
At least 53 people have been killed after a powerful earthquake struck a remote region of Tibet on Tuesday morning, according to Chinese state media, with tremors felt in neighboring Nepal and parts of northern India.
The United States Geological Society (USGS) said the 7.1-magnitude quake struck at 9:05 a.m. local time and was followed by multiple aftershocks.
Both the USGS and the China Earthquake Networks Center gave the epicenter location high up in the remote Tibetan plateau close to the Himalayan border with Nepal.
Another 62 people were injured in the quake, while more than 1,000 houses were damaged in Tingri county, where the epicenter is located, state news agency Xinhua reported.
Chinese social media videos geolocated by CNN showed damaged roofs, shop fronts and debris piling on the streets of Lhatse county, some 86 kilometers (53 miles) from the epicenter. Some cars and motorcycles parked along the road were also damaged, the footage showed.
The region close to the epicenter is sparsely populated but small villages are nestled in the remote and often hard to access Himalayan valleys. About 6,900 people are estimated to live in 27 villages within a 20-km (12-miles) radius of the epicenter, according to Xinhua.
The nearest major city to the epicenter is the holy city of Shigatse, which lies some 180 km (111 miles) away. The city is the traditional seat of the Panchen Lama, the second-highest spiritual leader in Tibetan Buddhism, second only to the Dalai Lama.
Surveillance camera footage at a supermarket in Shigatse shared by Xinhua captured the moment the quake struck, with customers running outside as goods fell from quivering shelves.
Rescue teams including the Chinese air force have joined in search efforts, state broadcaster CCTV reported. Three villages had lost their phone signals by noon, according to the broadcaster.
A total of 49 aftershocks were recorded as of noon Monday, according to the China Earthquake Networks Center.
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.
This is a developing story and will be updated.