SRINAGAR: A magnitude 7.0 earthquake struck Tibet on Thursday at a depth of 173 kilometres, according to seismic data.
The earthquake occurred as rescue and recovery operations continued following floods caused by an ice-rock avalanche near the Nepal-Tibet border on August 26. The disaster swept away homes, roads and bridges, damaged hydropower projects and left thousands of people missing.
Nepal’s most recent earthquake before Thursday’s tremor was recorded on September 8.
The region remains vulnerable to extreme weather, rising temperatures and glacier retreat. Chinese researchers have warned that climate change is accelerating glacier loss across the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau, potentially increasing the risk of future disasters.
The plateau is the source of several major transboundary rivers, including the Brahmaputra, making environmental changes in the region a concern for communities downstream.
