Quake Location and Cause in Tibet
• Quake occurred in Tingry county, Shigatse region, home to around eight lakh people.
• The region’s capital, Tingry, is the seat of the Panchen Lama of Tibetan Buddhism.
• The mainshock may have emerged in the Lhasa terrane, a specific fragment of the crust.
• The Lhasa terrane includes sites involved in China’s construction of the world’s largest hydroelectric-power dam.
• The quake’s location is significant due to the Himalayan region’s water holding capacity.
• Geologists have recorded over 21 earthquakes of magnitude 6 or higher in the Lhasa terrane since 1950.
• Understanding the next quake’s location and potential strength requires detailed understanding of ancient plate collisions and tension accumulation.