Why the location of China’s magnitude 7.1 quake matters Premium

Earthquake in Tibetan China and Nepal, with 95 dead, 130 injured, and significant spiritual and environmental implications.

The story so far: At 6:35 a.m. IST on January 7, an earthquake with a magnitude of 7.1 struck Tibetan China and Nepal. The epicentre was located 10 km below a spot around 80 km north of Mt Everest. As of 7 p.m., Chinese state media had reported 95 people had been killed, 130 injured, and hundreds of houses flattened on its side of the border. Updates on damage and casualties from other areas, including Nepal, are awaited. There have also been reports of the tremors being felt as far away as Kathmandu, Thimphu, and Kolkata.

According to the China Earthquake Networks Centre, the point on the surface below which the epicentre lay was located in Tingry county in the Shigatse region of Tibet. This region lies 4-5 km above sea level on average and is home to some eight lakh people; the county itself is home to around 7,000 people.

The region’s capital city is the seat of the important Panchen Lama of Tibetan Buddhism and thus bears considerable spiritual significance. The Dalai Lama issued a statement in which he said: “I offer my prayers for those who have lost their lives and extend my wishes for a swift recovery to all who have been injured.”

Tingry County is also a ‘gateway’ to Mt Everest and the surrounding terrain, which is a popular tourist destination. Local authorities have said however that the number of tourists is lower in winter. According to Xinhua, China has already closed tourists’ access to the region since the earthquake struck.

According to preliminary assessments, the quake’s mainshock may have emerged in the Lhasa terrane. A terrane is a specific fragment of the crust.

The Lhasa terrane includes sites involved in China’s construction of the world’s largest hydroelectric-power dam. The Chinese government approved the project last month. Once completed, the project will straddle the Yarlung Tsangpo River and generate around 300 billion kWh per year.

The project has elicited expressions of concerns from India since the river subsequently flows into Arunachal Pradesh and Assam, where it becomes the Brahmaputra. Experts have said the dam could affect the river’s perennial status.