Wed Jan 08 19:35:20 UTC 2025: ## Death Toll Rises to 126 After Devastating Earthquake in Tibet
**Shigatse, Tibet** – A powerful earthquake that struck a remote region of western China’s Tibet on Tuesday has left at least 126 people dead and 188 injured, with thousands more displaced. The magnitude 7.1 quake (6.8 according to China’s earthquake center), which struck approximately 75 kilometers from Mount Everest, leveled over 3,600 homes and triggered hundreds of aftershocks.
Rescue efforts are underway in the frigid, high-altitude region, where temperatures plummet well below freezing. Over 1,800 rescuers, including firefighters and emergency personnel, are searching for survivors amidst the rubble. Relief supplies, including tents and quilts, are being distributed to those left homeless. The city government in Shigatse reports that 30,000 residents have been relocated.
The village of Gurum was particularly hard hit, with at least 22 of its 222 residents perishing. Tsering Phuntsog, the village’s Communist Party chief, reported the loss of his 74-year-old mother and several other relatives, describing the intensity of the quake as leaving even young people unable to escape their homes in time.
The earthquake was also felt in Kathmandu, Nepal, causing panic but no reported damage. The ongoing rescue operation faces challenges posed by the harsh terrain and cold weather, as efforts continue to locate survivors and assess the full extent of the devastation.
First Piper 