Tibet Earthquake: Second Quake Jolts Xizang In 5 Hours, Magnitude 4.5 Registered After Deadly Morning Tremor

A second earthquake of magnitude 4.5 on the Richter Scale struck the Xizang region in Tibet at 11:27:19 IST on Tuesday. This comes just five hours after a devastating 6.8-magnitude earthquake hit Dingri County in Xigaze City earlier in the day, leaving widespread destruction in its wake.

The earlier quake, which occurred at 9:05 am IST, claimed 53 lives, injured 62 people, and caused extensive damage, including the collapse of numerous buildings. Reports from the Taipei Times, citing state media, revealed that the death toll initially reported by Xinhua as 32 fatalities with 38 injuries, was later updated.

The China Earthquake Networks Centre identified the epicenter of the first quake at 28.5°N latitude and 87.45°E longitude, with a depth of 10 kilometers. In response, the People's Liberation Army (PLA) Western Theater Command deployed drones to assess the situation at the epicenter and activated a disaster relief plan. Transport and medical planes, helicopters, and ground forces were placed on standby for rescue operations.

House collapses were reported in Tonglai Village of Changsuo Township in Dingri, further highlighting the scale of devastation.

Series of Aftershocks Reported

Following the initial earthquake, the National Centre for Seismology (NCS) recorded a series of seven aftershocks in the Xizang region. The strongest aftershock of magnitude 7.1 struck at 6:35 am IST, followed by tremors of varying intensities:

• Magnitude 4.7 at 7:02 am IST
• Magnitude 4.9 at 7:07 am IST
• Magnitude 5.0 at 7:13 am IST
• Magnitude 4.9 at 7:29 am IST
• Magnitude 4.8 at 7:44 am IST
• Magnitude 4.5 at 8:49 am IST
• Magnitude 4.3 at 9:11 am IST

The latest quake at 11:27 am marks the second significant tremor in the region within a span of hours, heightening concerns over ongoing seismic activity in Tibet's Xizang Autonomous Region. Disaster relief operations are underway as authorities continue to monitor the situation closely.