strong earthquake killed at least 95 people in Tibet yesterday and left many others trapped as dozens of aftershocks shook the high-altitude region of western China and across the border in Nepal.
The U.S. Geological Survey said the earthquake measured magnitude 7.1 and was relatively shallow at a depth of about 10 kilometers. China recorded the magnitude as 6.8.
In Nepal, authorities asked officials in the mountainous area near the epicenter to search for any casualties or damage.
A police officer in Solukhumbu district, where Mount Everest is located, said by telephone that there were no reports of damage. The area, often crowded with climbers and hikers, was empty in the depth of winter. Many residents move to the south to avoid the harsh winter.
There have been 10 earthquakes of at least magnitude 6 in the area where yesterday’s quake hit over the past century, the USGS said. KEN MORITSUGU, BEIJING, MDT/AP
