UN ready to help with earthquake relief in Tibet The disaster toll exceeds 120

UN Secretary-General António Guterres has said that the UN is ready to assist in eliminating the consequences of the earthquake that hit the Tibet autonomous region of China on January 7.

“I'm profoundly saddened by the loss of life caused by the earthquake that struck the Tibet Autonomous Region of China. I wish a speedy recovery to those injured and express my sincere condolences to the victims’ families. The UN stands ready to provide support if requested,” Caliber.Az quotes Guterres as saying on his X page.

At least 126 people have been confirmed dead and 188 others injured on the January 7 morning quake that struck rural, high-altitude Tingri county, about 80 kilometres (50 miles) north of Mount Everest near China's border with Nepal.

More than 3,600 houses have collapsed and over 30,000 residents have been relocated, the official Xinhua news agency said, adding that the search for trapped victims is ongoing.

The temperature in Tingri is currently minus 11 degrees Celsius (12.2 Fahrenheit), according to the China Meteorological Administration. The county sits at an average altitude of 4,500 metres (14,800 feet) above sea level.

Authorities said more than 12,000 people, including firefighters, soldiers, police officers and professional rescuers had been deployed, Xinhua reported.

Aid including tents, quilts and cold-weather equipment had been dispatched by central authorities, it added.

By Khagan Isayev