A massive earthquake struck China’s Tibetan mountains on Tuesday morning, killing at least 32 people, Chinese state media reported.

The earthquake that struck the Tibetan holy city of Shigatse at around 09:00 local time (01:00 GMT) had a magnitude of 7.1 and a depth of 10 kilometers (6 miles), according to the US Geological Survey, which also showed A series of earthquakes. Aftershocks occurred in the area.

The earthquake was also felt in parts of neighboring Nepal and India.

The area lies on a major geological fault line and earthquakes are common.

Shigatse is considered one of the holiest cities in Tibet. It is the traditional residence of the Panchen Lama, an important figure in Tibetan Buddhism, whose spiritual authority is second only to the Dalai Lama.

Chinese state media reported that the quake, which was slightly smaller at magnitude 6.8, caused “significant” shaking and caused many houses to collapse.

Social media posts showed buildings collapsing and several strong aftershocks.

“After a major earthquake occurs, there will always be a gradual attenuation process.” Jiang Haikun, a researcher at the China Seismological Network Center, told CCTV.

Jiang said that while another earthquake of around magnitude 5 is still possible, “the likelihood of a larger earthquake is very low.”

The Chinese air force has launched rescue operations and used drones in affected areas at the foot of Mount Everest where temperatures are well below freezing.

Power and water have been cut off in the area.

A local official in Nepal’s Nanqi region near Mount Everest told AFP that although the quake was felt in Nepal, there were no reports of damage or casualties.

The Tibet Earthquake Administration told the BBC on Tuesday that they could not provide an estimate of casualties because they were still verifying the figures.

The region lies on a major fault line where the Indian and Eurasian tectonic plates collide and is home to frequent seismic activity. In 2015, a 7.8-magnitude earthquake occurred near Kathmandu, the capital of Nepal, killing nearly 9,000 people and injuring more than 20,000 people.