Aftershocks expected following 6.8-magnitude earthquake in Xizang

Following Tuesday's 6.8-magnitude earthquake that struck Dingri county in Shigatse, Xizang autonomous region, aftershocks are possible in the surrounding areas in the coming days, according to experts.

Aftershocks at the epicenter of earthquakes and the surrounding areas are generally common. They gradually diminish in intensity and frequency over time, with fluctuations occurring during this process, experts were quoted as saying in a report by China Youth Daily on Tuesday afternoon.

The quake occurred at 9:05 am on Tuesday. Its epicenter was in the county's Tsogo township, where approximately 6,900 people live within a 20-kilometer radius.

As of 1 pm on Tuesday, there had been 16 aftershocks of magnitude 3 and above, including 13 with magnitudes between 3.0 and 3.9 and three with magnitudes of 4.0 and above, the report said.

After the earthquake, the China Earthquake Networks Center organized experts to conduct research.

According to experts, the earthquake was an energy release within a Lhasa block on the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau.

Since 1950, the Lhasa block has experienced 21 earthquakes with a magnitude of 6 or higher, with the largest being the 6.9 magnitude earthquake in the region’s Mainling city in 2017, the report said.