At least 126 people have now been confirmed dead following a powerful earthquake that struck Tibet early on January 7, according to Chinese state media. Hundreds more are injured.

The quake, which hit the sacred city of Shigatse at 09:05 local time was initially registered as a magnitude 7.1 tremor. The epicentre was located at a depth of 10 kilometres according to the US Geological Survey.

A series of aftershocks have also been felt in the area with BBC reports saying that tremors were felt as far afield as Nepal and parts of northern India. According to the Xinhua News Agency, the earthquake has caused significant damage, particularly in Tonglai Village within Changsuo Township, where numerous houses have reportedly collapsed. Reports from the scene talk about crumbled buildings. While the tremors were also felt in Nepal’s capital Kathmandu, around 400 km away, no major reports of damage or casualties have been seen.

Earthquakes are a common geological occurrence in the Tibet region - a highly sensitive geopolitical area controlled by China but seen by many as independent - which sits along a major geological fault line. The region, located at the convergence of the Indian and Eurasian tectonic plates, experiences frequent seismic activity.

Shigatse is regarded as one of the holiest of Tibetan cities and has long been the traditional seat of the Panchen Lama; a person today detained in China by authorities in Beijing. He is the second most important religious figure in Tibetan Buddhism after the Dalai Lama.

Chinese state media has reported a slightly lower magnitude of 6.8 for the initial earthquake and said the tremor caused clear shaking of buildings and that there had been a number of collapses reported.

Early rescue operations were been launched by the Chinese air force, which has deployed drones to the affected area not far from Mount Everest where temperatures remain well below freezing. Reports say essential services, including power and water supplies, have been cut off in the region.