(TibetanReview.net, Feb17’25) – Ahead of ushering in Losar, their most important calendar year festival, the Central Tibetan Administration (CTA) has on Feb 17 urged the Tibetan public to mark it this year with subdued air of festivity in solidarity with the Dingri earthquake victims.
“In solidarity with the victims of the recent earthquake in Dingri and surrounding areas of Tibet, which caused significant loss of life and property,” the CTA “respectfully requests that, during the upcoming Losar (Tibetan lunar New Year) celebrations, individuals refrain from hosting large gatherings, performing Tibetan circle dances (gorshey), or engaging in other exuberant expressions of celebration,” said a circular on the CTA’s Tibet.net website.
An earthquake of 6.8 to 7.1-magnitude hit Tibet’s Mt Everest county of Dingri on Jan 7 morning, killing a least 126 people and destroying thousands of buildings, including monastic structures.
China tightly restricted access to the earthquake-hit areas and strictly censored information about the earthquake’s devastation. The Tibetan service of Voice of America estimated the death toll to be at least 134 as of Jan 13 while the Tibetan service of Radio Free Asia said it was more than 400 in Dingri and Lhatse counties alone, based on the estimate of morgue staff.
Besides, at least 338 people were wounded, including 19 in serious condition.
Over 27,200 buildings were reported damaged and 3,612 homes collapsed. In some villages, 80 to 90% of homes were reported razed. Altogether, 206 villages across 26 townships in five counties were affected, affecting 61,500 people, according to China’s official Central News Agency (in Chinese) Jan 9.
China Central Television on Jan 15 also reported that five dams in the epicentre zone showed “cracks and other issues” with reporter Liu Jing showing one 560 metres long with 50 cm wide crack at Tsogo reservoir.