In China, concerns about the state of hydropower plants there have increased. After the 6.8-magnitude earthquake, cracks were found in five out of fourteen structures. In some areas, residents were ordered to evacuate.
As it was reported at the press conference on Thursday, the reservoirs of three of the five destroyed dams in Tibet, China, have been emptied. Last week, a 6.8-magnitude earthquake occurred in this southwestern region. The epicenter of the earthquake was in Tingri district, about 150 kilometers southwest of the city of Shigaze (Shigatse), which is sacred to Tibetans, near the highest mountain in the world – Mount Everest. In this natural disaster, 126 people were killed and hundreds were injured.
Evacuation of residents
In Tingri district, where the epicenter was located, residents of six villages were ordered to move to higher ground. In total, about 1,500 people were forced to leave their homes. Officials said the situation at the remaining dams is being monitored and monitoring devices are being installed at the facilities.
Last week’s earthquake in Tibet was one of the biggest natural disasters in the country in recent years. The main earthquake and subsequent strong aftershocks destroyed about 3,600 buildings.
Southwest China is a seismically active region due to the collision of the Indian and Eurasian tectonic plates. In 2023, a magnitude 6.2 earthquake killed 162 people in this region.
Main photo source: Jigme Dorje / Xinhua News Agency / Forum
