Search operation for survivors continues in Tibet; earthquake toll at 126

Rescue teams in the high-altitude Tibet region continued to search for survivors and recover victims on Wednesday, a day after a devastating earthquake leveled thousands of houses and claimed at least 126 lives.

Relief supplies, including tents, quilts, and other necessities, were being delivered to those left homeless in the frigid region, where temperatures plummeted well below freezing overnight. 

The earthquake struck an area with an average altitude of 4,200 meters (13,800 feet), creating additional challenges for rescue and relief operations.

As of Tuesday evening, the confirmed death toll stood at 126, with 188 others injured. The earthquake, recorded at magnitude 7.1 by the US Geological Survey (and 6.8 by China's earthquake center), struck approximately 75 kilometers (50 miles) from Mount Everest and the border with Nepal. The tremor sent people in Nepal's capital, Kathmandu, running out of their homes in panic.

In the Tibetan village of Gurum, 22 out of the 222 residents lost their lives, according to Tsering Phuntsog, the village's Communist Party chief. Among the victims was his 74-year-old mother, while several of his relatives remain buried under debris.

"Even young people couldn't run out of the houses when the earthquake hit, let alone old people and children," Tsering Phuntsog told the official Xinhua News Agency.

Widespread Destruction

More than 3,600 houses collapsed in the quake, and 30,000 residents have been relocated, according to preliminary surveys cited by Xinhua. Shigatse, also known as Xigaze in Chinese, has been among the worst-hit areas.

The Ministry of Emergency Management has deployed 1,850 rescuers, including firefighters and specialized rescue teams, according to state broadcaster CCTV. Search and recovery operations are complicated by the region's cold temperatures, high altitude, and ongoing seismic activity.

More than 500 aftershocks have been recorded since the earthquake, further hampering rescue efforts and adding to the fear and uncertainty for residents in the affected areas.

International Concern

The earthquake has drawn attention from neighboring countries, including Nepal, which also felt the tremors. Relief efforts are ongoing, and authorities are working to provide shelter and assistance to those in need while assessing the full scale of the disaster.

Rescue teams are racing against time to find survivors in the freezing temperatures, as the death toll is expected to rise in the coming days.