2025 Tibet earthquake
![]() Damaged buildings in Tibet after the earthquake | |
UTC time | 2025-01-07 01:05:16 |
---|---|
USGS-ANSS | ComCat |
Local date | 7 January 2025 |
Local time | 09:05 CST (UTC+8) |
Magnitude | Mw 7.1 Ms 6.8 |
Depth | 10.0 km (6 mi) |
Epicenter | 28°38′20″N 87°21′40″E / 28.639°N 87.361°E |
Type | Normal |
Areas affected | Tibet Autonomous Region, Nepal |
Max. intensity | IX (Violent) |
Foreshocks | mb 4.1 |
Aftershocks | 515+ Strongest: mb 5.1 |
Casualties | 126 fatalities, 201 injuries |
On 7 January 2025, at 09:05 CST, an earthquake measuring Mw 7.1 or Ms 6.8 happened in Tingri County, located in the Tibet Autonomous Region of south-western China.[1] At least 126 people were killed while 188 others were injured from the earthquake.[2][3]
Tectonic setting
[change | change source]The Tibetan Plateau is high because of crust thickening caused by the collision of tectonic plates near the Himalayas. Faults in the plateau are linked to two main types: strike-slip and normal faults. The plateau stretches east–west, shown by north–south grabens, strike-slip faults, and GPS data.
Big earthquakes (magnitude 8.0 or so) mostly happen on strike-slip faults. Smaller earthquakes (magnitude 5.9 to 7.1) on normal faults occurred in 2008 at depths of 10–15 km with fault angles of 40–50 degrees. A 2010 study found that 85% of the energy from normal fault earthquakes in the last 43 years happened above 5 km elevation, suggesting these quakes are influenced by the pull of gravity.[4]
Earthquake
[change | change source]
The United States Geological Survey (USGS) said the earthquake had a magnitude of (Mww ) of 7.1, while the China Earthquake Networks Center reported it as Ms 6.8.[5] It was caused by normal faulting in the Tibetan Plateau. The earthquake happened on a north-south fault that dipped either east or west.[1]
Strong shaking was felt in Nepal, India, Bhutan, and Bangladesh.[6] USGS models showed movement along a fault that stretched about 80 km (50 mi) and went 20 km (12 mi) deep. The largest slip was 1.6 m (5 ft 3 in) or 1.3 m (4 ft 3 in), depending on the fault's direction.[1]
Impact
[change | change source]The earthquake killed at least 126 people and injured 188 more in Tibet.[2][3][7] Most deaths happened in Tingri County (32), with 2 each in Lhatse and Sakya counties. Over 1,000 homes collapsed in Tingri County,[8] near the epicenter.[9] It was the biggest earthquake in China since January 2024 and the deadliest since December 2023, when an earthquake killed 148 people in Gansu province.[10] Many collapsed houses were reported in villages throughout Tingri County, trapping people under rubble.[11] Three townships in the county reported fatalities.[12] A hotel was damaged in Lhatse,[13] and a police station in Nepal had small damage.[14]
Response
[change | change source]
After the earthquake, over 1,500 rescue workers,[15] 75 vehicles, 4 dogs, and 7,030 tools were sent to help.[11] A level-three emergency alert was issued,[16] and people were evacuated to stay safe from aftershocks. Local officials provided extra support for rescue efforts.[17] The government sent 22,000 relief items like tents, coats, quilts, and folding beds to help in the cold, high-altitude areas.[18] The army also joined the rescue efforts,[19] and the Mount Qomolangma scenic area was closed.[20]
Xi Jinping, the General Secretary of the Chinese Communist Party, called for full rescue efforts, care for the injured, repairs to infrastructure, and help for displaced people.[21] In Nepal, security forces were sent to affected areas.[22] At 2:00 p.m. on 7 January, 30 officers reached Shigatse, and 359 more were on their way to help.[23][24]
Related pages
[change | change source]References
[change | change source]- ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 "M 7.1 - 2025 Xizang, China Earthquake". United States Geological Survey. 7 January 2025. Retrieved 7 January 2025.
- ↑ 2.0 2.1 "定日6.8级地震丨西藏定日县地震已致95人遇难、130人受伤-新华网". 新华网_让新闻离你更近 (in Chinese). 2025-01-07. Retrieved 2025-01-07.
- ↑ 3.0 3.1 "西藏日喀则市定日县6.8级地震已致95人遇难". 中青在线 (in Chinese). 2025-01-07. Retrieved 2025-01-07.
- ↑ Elliott, J. R.; Walters, R. J.; England, P. C.; Jackson, J. A.; Li, Z.; Parsons, B. (2010). "Extension on the Tibetan plateau: recent normal faulting measured by InSAR and body wave seismology". Geophysical Journal International. 183 (2): 503–535. doi:10.1111/j.1365-246X.2010.04754.x.
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: CS1 maint: unflagged free DOI (link) - ↑ "西藏日喀则市定日县发生6.8级地震". cbgc.scol.com.cn (in Chinese). 7 January 2025. Retrieved 7 January 2025.
- ↑ "Powerful 7.1-magnitude earthquake hits Tibet, felt across Nepal". BNO News. 7 January 2025. Retrieved 7 January 2025.
- ↑ Xiaoge, Yu (7 January 2025). "西藏定日县地震已致53人遇难" [53 people have been killed in the earthquake in Dingri County, Tibet]. Xinhua News Agency (in Chinese). Retrieved 7 January 2025.
- ↑ "西藏6.8级地震已致36人遇难" [6.8-magnitude earthquake in Tibet kills 36 people]. Nanfang Daily. 7 January 2025. Retrieved 7 January 2025.[permanent dead link]
- ↑ "Tibet earthquake kills at least 30". Reuters. DW News. 7 January 2025. Retrieved 7 January 2025.
- ↑ Kua, Isabel (7 January 2025). "Quake In China's Tibet Kills 32 With Tremors Felt In Nepal, India". Agence France-Presse. Barron's. Retrieved 7 January 2025.
- ↑ 11.0 11.1 "西藏日喀则6.8级地震救援情况 震中有人员被困". Economic Daily (in Chinese). 7 January 2025. Retrieved 7 January 2025.
- ↑ "西藏定日县6.8级地震已有人员遇难" [6.8-magnitude earthquake in Dingri County, Tibet has killed people] (in Chinese). Xinhua News Agency. 7 January 2025. Retrieved 7 January 2025.
- ↑ "西藏6.8地震「大量房屋倒塌」已有人身亡「居民受困搶救中」" (in Chinese). Eastern Broadcasting Company. 7 January 2025. Retrieved 7 January 2025.
- ↑ "भूकम्पका कारण सिन्धुपाल्चोकको फुल्पिङकट्टी चौकीमा क्षति" (in Nepali). Ratopati. 7 January 2025. Retrieved 7 January 2025.
- ↑ Jing, Tian (7 January 2025). "西藏日喀则市定日县发生6.8级地震" [A 6.8-magnitude earthquake occurred in Dingri County, Shigatse City, Tibet]. Ministry of Emergency Management (in Chinese). Retrieved 7 January 2025.
- ↑ Jiexi, Su (January 7, 2024). "中国气象局启动地震灾害气象服务三级应急响应" [China Meteorological Administration launches Level 3 emergency response for earthquake disaster meteorological services]. China Meteorological Administration (in Chinese). Retrieved 7 January 2025.
- ↑ "53 killed after 6.8-magnitude quake hits Xizang". Asia News Network. Kathmandu Post. 7 January 2025. Retrieved 7 January 2025.
- ↑ "三部门紧急调拨2.2万件中央救灾物资 支援西藏定日县地震救灾救助-新华网". 新华网_让新闻离你更近 (in Chinese). 2025-01-07. Retrieved 2025-01-07.
- ↑ "All-out rescue efforts underway following Xizang 6.8-magnitude quake". Xinhua News Agency. 7 January 2025. Retrieved 7 January 2025.
- ↑ "Mount Qomolangma scenic area closed after 6.8-magnitude quake hit Xizang". Xinhua News Agency. 7 January 2025. Retrieved 7 January 2025.
- ↑ "Update: Xi orders all-out rescue efforts following heavy casualties in 6.8-magnitude Xizang quake". Xinhua News Agency. 7 January 2025. Retrieved 7 January 2025.
- ↑ "Powerful earthquake kills more than 50 in Tibet". France 24. 7 January 2025. Retrieved 7 January 2025.
- ↑ "武警西藏总队先头救援力量已抵达震区-新华网". 新华网_让新闻离你更近 (in Chinese). 2025-01-07. Retrieved 2025-01-07.
- ↑ "武警西藏总队先头救援力量已抵达震区". ce (in Chinese). 2025-01-07. Retrieved 2025-01-07.