The devastating Tibet earthquake… Rescue workers are racing against time in search of survivors

In a race against time, thousands of Chinese rescue workers brave the cold on the highlands, continuing their search for survivors after a devastating earthquake that killed at least 126 people and led to the collapse of thousands of buildings in Tibet.
Video clips broadcast by Chinese public television CCTV show medics extracting wounded from the rubble of collapsed buildings, setting up thick tents and examining the wounded.
At least 126 people were killed and 188 others were injured as a result of the earthquake that occurred on Tuesday morning in the rural area of ​​Tingri in Tibet in southwest China, near the border with Nepal, state television reported.
Officials in the region said on Wednesday afternoon that the toll, which was published on Tuesday evening, was unlikely to rise.

Low temperatures

More than 3,600 buildings collapsed and 187 shelter centers were established for the afflicted, hosting 46,500 people, according to Hong Lei, director of the Tibet Emergency Management Office.
He stressed that “the affected area is located at a high altitude on a high plateau. It is a mountainous area hit by severe cold, while transportation, communication, and electricity facilities are limited.”
He stressed that “rescue workers are racing against time to set up tents for the afflicted, with temperatures expected to drop in the region.”

The strength of the Tibet earthquake

The temperature in Tingri may drop to 16 degrees below zero on Thursday morning, according to the National Meteorological Service.
The Tingri region has about 62,000 people and is located at an average altitude of 4,500 meters near the Chinese foot of Mount Everest.
The epicenter of the earthquake was located in a mountainous area located at a high altitude, 370 kilometers southwest of Lhasa, the capital of Tibet.
The strength of the earthquake reached 6.8 degrees, according to the Chinese Seismological Agency, and the American Geophysical Institute estimated its strength at 7.1 degrees. It appears that many of the collapsed houses were made of traditional materials such as stones, clay, and wooden beams.