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At least 53 killed, 62 injured after devastating earthquake hits Tibet — Xinhua

The natural calamity destroyed numerous buildings and the local authorities launched search and rescue operations, according to the news agency

© AP Photo/Lee Jin-man, Archive

BEIJING, January 7. /TASS/. At least 32 people were killed and 38 injured in the 6.8-magnitude earthquake that struck Tibet, namely the Dingri County in the city of Xigaze in Xizang Autonomous Region, according to China’s news agency Xinhua.

The news agency reported that "the epicenter was monitored at 28.5 degrees north latitude and 87.45 degrees east longitude. The quake struck at a depth of 10 km, according to a report issued by the China Earthquake Networks Center."

The natural calamity destroyed numerous buildings and the local authorities launched search and rescue operations. Evacuation of the local population in the disaster-hit area is underway.

Later Xinhua reported that the death toll from the earthquake has risen to 53 and the number of injured increased to 62.

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