Hundreds Dead From 7.1 Magnitude Earthquake Nearby Mount Everest
On Jan. 7, 2025, a powerful 7.1 magnitude earthquake hit 50 miles off the coast of Mount Everest. Reporters said that the earthquake left at least 126 dead in Tibet. Rescue workers toiled for many hours to save as many lives as they could. Many were trapped inside of homes and buildings and left terrified. Although they tried as hard as they could, they couldn't save everyone or their homes.
Chinese leader, Xi Jiping, made a public declaration to save as many people as they could and called out all efforts to “minimize casualties and try their best to resettle people.” The Vice Premier was sent out to guide and lead all rescue workers and dispatch as needed. Bishal Nath Uppreti said, “It was very strong. People came running out of their houses. You could see the wires from the poles shaken loose.” Uppreti is one of the workers of the non-government Kathmandu organization who was a part of the journey to help the earthquake victims.
About 140 miles from the epicenter of Nepal’s capital, residents were sent running out of their homes. The U.S Geological Survey said there were around 50 aftershocks in approximately three hours which is the re-adjustment process that takes place after a large earthquake. During this time, around 188 people were injured due to the aftershocks. Closed circuit television cameras were able to capture residents climbing out of windows and moving cement blocks out of the way to get to a safe place. The state reported that over 1,000 homes were damaged as a result of the aftershocks. There were over 1,500 fire and rescue workers sent to put out their best efforts to save people despite the situation.
Many families lost their homes due to this unfortunate and unexpected earthquake. Rescue workers are still working their hardest to keep everyone safe, as earthquakes and aftershocks are very sudden. There are still more updates to come with the days ahead as the aftermath of an earthquake so large is extreme and will take a lot of time for the city to recover as well as its residents.