The 6.8 magnitude quake hit a mountainous area near the border with Nepal shortly after 9:05 a.m., as reported by the China Earthquake Networks Centre. The US Geological Survey (USGS) recorded the quake as having a magnitude of 7.1.
China's Ministry of Emergency Management stated that approximately 1,500 fire and rescue personnel have been deployed to search for survivors among the rubble. The epicentre was in the Tingri region, about 380 kilometres (240 miles) from Tibet's capital, Lhasa, and 23 kilometres (14 miles) from Shigatse, the region's second-largest city.
Shigatse, also known as Xigaze, is a significant spiritual site in Tibetan Buddhism.
The earthquake was followed by several aftershocks, with magnitudes of up to 4.4. Tremors were felt as far away as Nepal's capital, Kathmandu, as well as Bhutan and northern India.
In Nepal, Anoj Raj Ghimire, chief district officer of the Solukhumbu district, said: "We felt a very strong earthquake. So far, we have not received any report of injuries or physical loss."
The earthquake occurred in an area where the Indian and Eurasian tectonic plates meet, a region prone to seismic activity that has shaped the Himalayan mountains.
The USGS noted that over the past century, the area has experienced 10 earthquakes with magnitudes of 6 or higher. The most devastating in recent history was a 7.8 magnitude quake in Nepal in 2015, which killed around 9,000 people and damaged nearly 1 million structures.
Rescue efforts are ongoing, with authorities focusing on saving lives and assessing the damage.