Quake Hits Near Tibetan Holy City

At least 126 die in southwestern China; tremors are felt in Bhutan, India, Nepal

- By Stu Woo

A major earthquake struck near a holy city in China's Tibet region on Tuesday, killing at least 126 people and injuring more than 150 while damaging thousands of buildings, the state-run Xinhua News Agency reported.

The quake hit around 9:05 a.m. local time near Tibet's second-most-populous city, Shigatse, in the Himalayan foothills in southwestern China, Chinese state media reported. The U.S. Geological Survey measured the quake at magnitude 7.1.

Tremors were felt hundreds of miles away in neighboring Bhutan, India and Nepal.

Chinese state media showed images of buildings with caved-in roofs and cars and streets smashed by rubble.