Tibet earthquake: Scores dead as tremor strikes near Everest

More than 1,000 buildings have been damaged by the earthquake

At least 95 people have been confirmed dead and 130 are injured after a major earthquake struck a remote region of mountainous Tibet near Mount Everest, Chinese state media say.

The earthquake, which hit Tibet's holy Shigatse city around 09:00 local time (01:00 GMT) on Tuesday morning, had a magnitude of 7.1 and a depth of 10 kilometres (six miles), according to data from the US Geological Survey, which also showed a series of aftershocks in the area.

Tremors were also felt in Nepal and parts of India, which neighbour Tibet.

Earthquakes are common in the region, which lies on a major geological fault line, but Tuesday's was one of the deadliest China has experienced in recent years.

Videos published by China's state broadcaster CCTV showed destroyed houses and collapsed buildings, with rescue workers wading through debris and handing out thick blankets to locals.

The footage also shows survivors receiving medical treatment.

Temperatures in Tingri county, near the earthquake's epicentre in the northern foothills of the Himalayas, are around -8C (17.6F), and will drop to -18C by evening, according to the China Meteorological Administration.

Both power and water in the region have been disrupted. There were more than 40 aftershocks in the first few hours following the quake.

Shigatse is considered one of the holiest cities of Tibet, which was annexed by China in the 1950s and has been under tight control ever since, including media and internet access.

Watch: Surveillance footage shows the moment a powerful earthquake strikes China's Tibet region.

Chinese state media reported the earthquake as having a slightly lesser magnitude of 6.8, causing "obvious" tremors and leading to the damage of more than 1,000 houses.

Jiang Haikun, a researcher at the China Earthquake Networks Center, told CCTV that while another earthquake of around magnitude 5 may still occur, "the likelihood of a larger earthquake is low".

A hotel resident in Shigatse told Chinese media outlet Fengmian News that he was jolted awake by a wave of shaking. He said he grabbed his socks and rushed out onto the street, where he saw helicopters circling above.

"It felt like even the bed was being lifted," he said, adding that he immediately knew it was an earthquake because Tibet recently experienced multiple smaller quakes.

Sitting at the foot of Mount Everest, which separates Nepal and China, Tingri county is a popular base for climbers preparing to ascend the world's tallest peak.

Everest sightseeing tours in Tingri, originally scheduled for Tuesday morning, have been cancelled, a tourism staff member told local media, adding that the sightseeing area had been fully closed.

There were three visitors in the sightseeing area who had all been moved to an outdoor area for safety, they said.

Shigatse is considered one of the holiest cities of Tibet

Shigatse region, home to 800,000 people, is the traditional seat of the Panchen Lama, a key figure of Tibetan Buddhism whose spiritual authority is second only to the Dalai Lama.

The exiled spiritual leader said he had been deeply saddened by news of the quake.

"I offer my prayers for those who have lost their lives and extend my wishes for a swift recovery to all who have been injured," the Dalai Lama said in a statement.

The current Dalai Lama fled Tibet to India in 1959 and has since been seen as an alternative source of power for Tibetans who resent Beijing's control of the region. Many believe China will also choose its own Dalai Lama when the current one dies.

Tibetan Gedhun Choekyi Niyima who was identified as the reincarnated Panchen Lama was disappeared by China when he was six years old. China then chose its own Panchen Lama.

Tremors were also felt in Nepal, which has not reported casualties so far

The Chinese air force has launched rescue efforts and drones to the affected area.

Chinese President Xi Jinping has also called for all-out search and rescue efforts to minimise casualties and resettle affected residents.

While strong tremors were felt in Nepal, no major damage or casualties were reported, an official from the National Emergency Operations Centre told BBC Newsday - only "minor damages and cracks on houses".

The region, which lies near a major fault line of the Indian and Eurasian tectonic plates, is home to frequent seismic activity. In 2015, a 7.8 magnitude earthquake near Kathmandu, the capital of Nepal, killed nearly 9,000 people and injured more than 20,000.

The tremors on Tuesday morning, which sent many Kathmandu residents running out of their houses, brought back memories of that deadly disaster.

"In 2015, when the earthquake hit, I could not even move," Manju Neupane, a shop owner in Kathmandu, told BBC Nepali. "Today the situation was not scary like that. But, I am scared that another major earthquake may hit us and we will be trapped between tall buildings."