A magnitude 5.0 earthquake struck China’s Tibet region late Thursday night, amid the devastation caused by catastrophic floods in the Himalayan region, according to the German Research Centre for Geosciences (GFZ).
The earthquake occurred at a depth of 10 kilometres in northern Tibet, GFZ said. Its epicentre was located more than 100 miles north of the Nepal-China border area, which was severely affected by flash floods on Wednesday.
The floods have already killed hundreds of people, while more than 1,000 others remain missing.
China’s state-run Xinhua news agency also reported that the country’s Earthquake Networks Center recorded another earthquake measuring 4.7 magnitude in Nagqu, Tibet, on Wednesday.
Meanwhile, China has issued a Level IV flood warning in Tibet after the earthquake raised concerns over the possible collapse of a blocked natural lake.
Xinhua reported that China’s Ministry of Water Resources had instructed local authorities to closely monitor the blocked lake and rainfall conditions in the area.
The ministry has also dispatched a team of experts to Gyirong County to monitor the situation and take necessary measures.
The latest earthquake and flood warnings have added to concerns in the Himalayan region, where rescue and relief operations are already underway following the devastating floods and landslides.
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