[Today’s Prayer] Death toll from Tibet earthquake rises to 53… Houses collapse, many injured

The death toll from the earthquake that occurred in China's western Xizang-Tibet Autonomous Region on the 7th has increased to 53, the state-run Xinhua News Agency reported.

As of 12:30 p.m. (local time), Xinhua News Agency reported that 53 people were killed and 62 injured in Dingle County, Shigatse City, the second largest city in the Tibet Autonomous Region, as a result of the earthquake.

Some Chinese media outlets, including Southern Daily, also reported that 34 people were killed and over 1,000 houses collapsed.

The earthquake occurred at 9:05 a.m. in the Tibet Autonomous Region (28.50 degrees north latitude, 87.45 degrees east longitude), adjacent to the Nepal Himalayas.

Chinese earthquake authorities announced that the magnitude was 6.8, the United States Geological Survey ( USGS ) said it was 7.1, and the European-Mediterranean Seismological Center ( EMSC ) said it was 7.0.

The average elevation within a 5km radius around the epicenter is about 4,259m. Within a 5km radius of the epicenter are Tangrun Village, Xuzhou Village, Jiaguoji Village, Meiduo Village, Chaji, Lachang, and Kangchong, and within a 20km radius are Cuoguo Township and Culuo Township.

Xinhua News Agency reported that there are 27 villages within a 20km radius around the epicenter with a population of about 6,900.

The state-run China Central Television ( CCTV ) reported that the China Earthquake Network has gathered experts to analyze the recent earthquake.

The China Earthquake Networks Center reported that the epicenter of the Dingli earthquake was within the Lhasa Block on the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau, and that the nearest fault was the Dengmequ Fault, 11km away, and that the earthquake was caused by an extensional rupture.

The southern part of the Tibetan Plateau is affected by both north-south compression and east-west pulling forces, and there are two typical fractures within the plateau, each close to the north-south and east-west directions. This strong tectonic deformation makes the Lhasa Block and its surrounding fracture zones particularly active.

CCTV said that since the 1950s, there have been 21 earthquakes of magnitude 6 or higher in the Lhasa Block, the largest being the magnitude 6.9 earthquake that occurred in Milin, Tibet in 2017.

The broadcast added that "generally, after a large earthquake, aftershocks are observed in the epicenter and its surrounding areas, and these aftershocks gradually weaken in intensity and frequency over time," and "there is a possibility that an earthquake that can be felt in the original earthquake area and its surrounding areas for several days may occur."

On that day, Chinese President Xi Jinping said, "The magnitude 6.8 earthquake that occurred in Dingli County, Shigatse, Tibet, caused heavy loss of life," and instructed, "We must do our utmost to search for people, rescue and treat the injured, minimize casualties, and prevent secondary disasters."

The State Council's Earthquake Response and Disaster Relief Command Office and the Emergency Management Department have issued a Level 3 national earthquake emergency alert and are carrying out rescue and evacuation efforts, Xinhua News Agency reported.

Source: News

A man with leprosy came and knelt before him and said, “Lord, if you are willing, you can make me clean.” Jesus reached out his hand and touched the man. “I am willing,” he said. “Be clean!” Immediately he was cleansed of his leprosy (Matthew 8: 2-3)

Lord, we hear the sad news that the number of casualties in Tibet is rising.

We confess that the Tibetan people are in desperate need of Your hand as the earthquake, which has affected neighboring areas, has caused great loss of life.

The government says they need to reduce casualties as much as possible and prevent a second disaster, but only through your help, not human power, can stop the disaster.

Please stabilize the situation and protect the Tibetan people from further loss of life.

Satan is trying to take the lives of the Tibetan people, but we believe that God's spiritual earthquake will destroy all the idols in Tibet and we will see a revival of Your glory!

We pray that You will raise up the Tibetan people to come to You, trusting in Your Word, which saw the leper's desperation and cleansed him.

May the Tibetan people rise up as Your holy people who will not offer their bodies to false truths and idols, but will lay down their lives at the cross!

We pray for relief and prayer from the Chinese and global churches to minister to the Tibetan people! We want to see the Tibetan people impact Nepal, India, and Bhutan with the gospel.

Although this is a disaster with widespread suffering and sorrow, we believe that there will be a wonderful revival after this suffering! By all means, let there be 7,000 local churches planted in Tibet and 7,000 Tibetan missionaries sent out!