Rescue efforts after an earthquake in Tibet have killed more than 120 people, according to Reuters

BEIJING (Reuters) – More than 400 people have been rescued after a powerful earthquake struck the foothills of the Himalayas on Tuesday, Chinese officials said, while more than 30,000 residents were evacuated.

The epicenter of the 6.8 magnitude earthquake was located 80 km (50 mi) north of Mount Everest in China’s Tibet region. The quake also shook buildings in neighboring Nepal, Bhutan and India.

An initial survey showed that 3,609 houses had been destroyed in Tibet’s Shigasse province, home to 800,000 people, Chinese state media reported on Tuesday, citing local officials.More than 500 people and 106 ambulances were dispatched to help the victims.

On the Tibetan side, at least 126 people were killed and 188 injured, according to Chinese state broadcaster CCTV. No deaths were reported in Nepal or elsewhere.

Temperatures in the region dropped below 18 degrees Celsius (0 degrees Fahrenheit) overnight, adding to the misery of the homeless.

Tents, food rations, electricity generators and other supplies had arrived by late Tuesday and all parts of the road damaged by the stampede had been reopened, CCTV added.

Beijing, which administers Tibet as an autonomous region within China, rejects criticism from rights groups and exiles who accuse it of trampling on the religious and cultural rights of the Tibetan people.