A powerful earthquake struck China’s remote Tibet region on Tuesday, leaving at least 53 people dead and 62 injured, state media reported.

The quake, which hit Dingri County near the Nepal border, also caused significant damage, with over 1,000 buildings affected and many completely destroyed.

The tremor, measured at 6.8 magnitude by the China Earthquake Networks Center (CENC) and 7.1 by the US Geological Survey, occurred at 9:05 a.m. local time (0105 GMT).

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It is the strongest earthquake recorded within a 200-kilometer radius in the past five years, according to CENC.

Videos aired by China’s state broadcaster CCTV showed homes reduced to rubble and streets filled with debris.

Surveillance footage from a local store captured the moment of impact, with shelves violently shaking and items like toys crashing to the floor.

In the town of Lhatse, visuals verified by AFP revealed rubble scattered outside shops and eateries.

Rescue workers are seen navigating through the devastation, distributing thick blankets to residents struggling with subzero temperatures.

The China Meteorological Administration warned that temperatures in Dingri could drop to minus 18 degrees Celsius (0 degrees Fahrenheit) by nightfall.

“Dingri County and its surrounding areas experienced very strong tremors, and many buildings near the epicenter have collapsed,” state broadcaster CCTV reported.

Chinese President Xi Jinping has called for “full-scale search and rescue efforts, minimizing casualties to the greatest extent possible, properly resettling affected residents, and ensuring their safety and warmth through the winter.”

Disaster relief, including tents, quilts, and other essential supplies, has been dispatched to the affected areas.

Local authorities are continuing efforts to assess the full impact of the quake, Xinhua News Agency reported.

The earthquake’s tremors extended into neighboring Nepal and parts of India.

Residents of Kathmandu and areas near Everest in Nepal’s high mountains reported strong shaking.

“It shook quite strongly here, everyone is awake,” said Jagat Prasad Bhusal, a government official in Nepal’s Namche region. However, no casualties or damage were reported in Nepal, according to Nepali Home Ministry spokesman Rishi Ram Tiwari.

Some tremors were also felt in India’s Bihar state, though no injuries were reported.

The Himalayan region, situated on a major tectonic fault line where the Indian and Eurasian plates collide, is highly prone to earthquakes.

This latest quake follows other recent seismic disasters, including a 7.8-magnitude quake in Nepal in 2015 that killed nearly 9,000 people and injured more than 22,000.

In China, a 7.0-magnitude earthquake along the China-Kyrgyzstan border in January 2024 killed three people, while a December 2023 quake in Gansu Province claimed 148 lives and displaced thousands.

The extreme weather conditions in Tibet are complicating rescue and relief efforts.

Temperatures in the affected region are already below freezing, and survivors face further hardships as authorities work to restore order and safety.

Xinhua reported that “local authorities are reaching out to various townships in the county to assess the impact of the quake.”

Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau has announced his decision to resign, bringing an end to his nearly 10-year tenure as leader of the country.

Speaking to reporters in Ottawa on Monday, Trudeau said he will step down as soon as the ruling Liberal Party selects a new leader.

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“I intend to resign as party leader, as prime minister,” Trudeau declared, signaling the conclusion of a political career that began with his election as prime minister in 2015.

The announcement follows months of internal pressure and a political crisis that saw top Liberal Party members urging Trudeau to step aside.

More to follow………. 

Canadian Prime Minister, Justin Trudeau is expected to resign this week as internal dissatisfaction within his Liberal Party reaches a breaking point, according to a report by The Globe and Mail on Sunday.

Citing three anonymous sources with knowledge of party deliberations, the report stated that Trudeau’s resignation could be announced as early as Monday.

The timing would allow for his departure to be addressed at a national Liberal Party caucus meeting scheduled for Wednesday.

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“The announcement would likely come before a national Liberal Party caucus on Wednesday,” The Globe and Mail reported, quoting party insiders.

It remains uncertain whether Trudeau would continue in an interim role while the Liberals search for new leadership.

Trudeau’s leadership has faced mounting criticism in recent months. His government barely survived a series of no-confidence votes, and his approval ratings have plummeted as he trails Conservative leader Pierre Poilievre by 20 points in opinion polls.

While Trudeau has vowed to lead the Liberals into the next federal election, slated for October 2025, his position has grown increasingly untenable.

The strain has been compounded by U.S. President-elect Donald Trump’s proposed 25% tariff on Canadian goods, a move that threatens to escalate into a full-blown trade war.

Deputy Prime Minister Chrystia Freeland resigned in December after reportedly clashing with Trudeau over how to handle Trump’s tariff plans, marking the first significant cabinet fracture.

Later that month, Trudeau reshuffled one-third of his cabinet in an attempt to regain control, but internal unrest persisted.

In November, Trudeau traveled to Florida to meet with Trump at his Mar-a-Lago estate, seeking to defuse trade tensions.

However, the meeting did little to alleviate the strain. Trump continued to target Trudeau publicly, mocking him on social media as the “governor” of Canada and suggesting that Canada should become the 51st U.S. state, calling it a “great idea.”

Trudeau rose to prominence in 2015, sweeping the Liberals to power with a charismatic image and progressive platform.

Over his three terms, he championed Senate reforms, legalized cannabis, introduced a carbon tax, and passed legislation permitting medically assisted suicide.

However, critics argue that Trudeau’s once-strong leadership has been overshadowed by his inability to navigate recent crises, including trade disputes and political dissent.

If Trudeau steps down, it would mark a dramatic shift in Canadian politics and leave the Liberals facing a critical leadership race in the run-up to the 2025 election.