Rescuers are working frantically in freezing temperatures to recover as many survivors as possible after the 7.1 magnitude earthquake that hit Tibet.
Early Tuesday morning, many people in Tibet were woken up as the world around them shook from a major earthquake hitting the area, per reports.
According to The New York Times, at least 126 people were killed and another 188 were injured in the earthquake.
The quake hit just after 9 a.m. local time in Dingri County on the Tibetan Plateau in western China. The epicenter of the quake was near one of Tibet’s most historic cities.
It has been reported that over 3,900 houses were damaged, per CNN.
Around 150 aftershocks have been recorded, being felt in areas as far as Kathmandu, Nepal.
The U.S. Geological Survey measured the earthquake as a 7.1, but the China Earthquake Networks Center measured it as a 6.8, per The New York Times.
It is possible that another earthquake could hit the area but it is unlikely it would be over a magnitude of 5, per the BBC.
The quake disrupted both power and water services in the region.
Rescue efforts in freezing temperatures
A large-scale rescue operation has been launched, with rescuers working mainly without heavy equipment, per The New York Times.
The rescuers are working frantically because of dropping temperatures.
“With temperatures in the region dipping as low as 5 degrees Fahrenheit (minus 15 degrees Celsius), rescue workers have a short window in which to locate survivors,” per The New York Times.
The quake hit a largely isolated area, making it difficult to deliver resources to the damaged communities.
Tibet is known to be one of China’s most inaccessible and underdeveloped areas.
