Tibet earthquake: At least 53 dead as strong quake strikes holy city near Mount Everest

Jost Kobuschmountaineer

At first I thought a serac [a large block of ice from a glacier] had fallen off next to me,

German mountaineer Jost Kobusch told DW

Ultimately, I'm not interested in breaking any records in the short term,

the 32-year-old said

It has a few holes from small stones hitting it. A pressure wave also literally pushed out the viewing window of the tent,

he said

I deliberately took my time so that everything on the mountain could sort itself out again,

he said

I'll wait and see over the next few days. Who knows what will happen? There will be further tectonic activity, possibly some aftershocks,

he said

Vladimir Putinrussian President

I was really scared, so I quickly threw on some clothes and ran outside, then called my family to let them know,

Pu, 24, told CNN

I was waiting in line and we heard something – then we realized it was an earthquake. It got stronger and stronger and the windows started shaking,

she told CNN

We have never felt an earthquake that strong before,

she said

It was very strong. People came running out of their houses. You could see the wires from poles shaken loose,

said Bishal Nath Upreti from the Nepal Centre for Disaster Management, a non-government organization in Kathmandu

The tremors were very strong, definitely everyone is panicked,

Rupesh Vishwakarmi, a local district official, told CNN

People around me began to panic and became noticeably tense,

she told CNN

I’ve been planning the trip for a year. But when I finally made it here, I encountered an earthquake. I never thought something like this would happen to me,

she said

Some of the older houses collapsed, and a large part of the buildings made from bricks had cracked open, with big fissures,

the 23-year-old told AFP

There were quite a few (rescue vehicles). One after the other they arrived,

Meng added

Vladimir Putinrussian President

Russia shares the grief of those who have lost relatives and close ones as a result of this natural disaster, and hopes for a speedy recovery,

Putin told Xi in a message posted by the Kremlin

Here, the houses are made from dirt, so when the earthquake came … lots of houses collapsed,

Dangzhi added

A batch of disaster relief supplies including self-heating rice, mineral water, instant noodles, cold-resistant coats, cold-resistant shoes, blankets, beds, and tents has been urgently allocated by the townships,

Liu said

I offer my prayers for those who have lost their lives and extend my wishes for a swift recovery to all who have been injured,

the Nobel peace laureate said in a message

The bed was shaking and I thought my child was moving the bed...I didn't pay that much attention but the shaking of (a) window made me understand that it's an earthquake,

said Kathmandu resident Meera Adhikarii

I am deeply saddened to learn of the devastating earthquake. It has caused the tragic loss of many lives, numerous injuries, and extensive destruction to homes and property." ... I offer

The spiritual leader told NDTV