HONG KONG — A 7.1-magnitude earthquake struck near one of Tibet’s holiest cities Tuesday, killing at least 53 people, Chinese state media reported.

The earthquake, which was recorded just after 9 a.m. (8 p.m. ET Monday), was centered at a depth of nearly 6 miles, according to the U.S. Geological Survey.

The tremor, which Chinese authorities recorded as magnitude 6.8, hit Dingri County in Shigatse, a mountainous region in western China that borders Nepal. Shigatse, which is about 240…