A strong earthquake with a magnitude of 7.1 hit the Nepal-Tibet border on Tuesday morning. It was felt in nearby countries, including China, India, Bhutan, and Bangladesh. The earthquake occurred at 9:05 AM local time (01:05 GMT) and was 10 km deep, according to the China Earthquake Networks Centre. The United States Geological Survey (USGS) also confirmed it was a 7.1-magnitude earthquake.

China faced serious damage from the earthquake. According to the Xinhua news agency, 32 people lost their lives, and 38 were injured. People shared videos on social media showing buildings falling down, piles of rubble, and scenes of panic.

India's National Centre for Seismology (NCS) reported the first earthquake at 6:35 AM IST. Two smaller tremors were felt soon after—a 4.7 magnitude earthquake at 7:02 AM IST and another 4.9 magnitude earthquake at 7:07 AM. The first two quakes were 10 km deep, while the third was 30 km deep.

Nepal: A high-risk region for earthquakes

Nepal is at high risk for earthquakes because it is located where two large tectonic plates, the Indian plate and the Eurasian plate, collide to form the Himalayas. This makes the region prone to strong earthquakes.

For example, a powerful 7.8-magnitude earthquake hit Nepal in 2015, killing nearly 9,000 people and destroying about half a million homes. Similarly, in 2008, China’s Sichuan province faced an 8.0-magnitude earthquake, which caused about 70,000 deaths. These events show that the region has a high chance of experiencing devastating earthquakes.