Ammon News - Rescuers in China’s Tibet region were continuing to search for survivors in freezing conditions on Wednesday after a devastating 6.8-magnitude quake struck the remote area and killed at least 126 people.

The powerful quake struck the foothills of the Himalayas on Tuesday,about 80km (50 miles) north of Mount Everest, the world’s highest mountain. Tremors also shook buildings in neighbouring Nepal, Bhutan and India.

At least 126 people have been confirmed dead and 188 injured, while initial surveys showed more than 3,600 homes had been destroyed in the Shigatse region of Tibet, according to Chinese state media.

Authorities said more than 400 people had been rescued so far, but an unknown number were still missing. Rescue efforts have been complicated by the more than 500 aftershocks recorded since Tuesday, and extreme cold. Temperatures in the high altitude plateau dropped to as low as -18C (0 degrees fahrenheit) overnight, adding to the misery of those left homeless, and prompting authorities to urgently scramble for blankets and temporary shelters. The Guardian