Thousands of rescuers were searching for survivors in freezing conditions after a devastating earthquake in China's remote Tibet region killed at least 126 people.

Videos published by state broadcaster CCTV on Wednesday showed rescue workers pulling injured victims from the rubble of collapsed buildings and carrying them to safety.

Footage also showed a man in a dusty, thick winter coat carrying a crying child piggyback as a rescue worker draped a jacket over him.

Rescues were also seen setting up makeshift tents and examining the injured inside.

At least 126 people have been confirmed dead and 188 others injured in the Tuesday morning quake that struck rural, high-altitude Tingri county, about 80 km north of Mount Everest near China's border with Nepal.

Local officials said at a press conference on Wednesday afternoon that there had been no increases in the number of people killed or injured since the last update on Tuesday night.

More than 3,600 houses had collapsed due to the earthquake and 187 relocation sites have been set up, accommodating 46,500 people, said Hong Li, director of Tibet's Emergency Management Department.

The affected region is a "high-altitude, cold plateau area with weak infrastructure such as transportation, communication, and electricity", Hong said.

"The climate is cold, with large temperature differences between day and night, and low nighttime temperatures, making it difficult to maintain warmth and protect against the cold," Hong said, adding that search and rescue efforts have transitioned to the resettlement of affected residents and post-disaster reconstruction.

The temperature in Tingri will drop to as low as minus 16 degrees Celsius Thursday morning, according to the China Meteorological Administration. The county sits at an average altitude of 4,500 metres above sea level.

Authorities earlier said more than 12,000 people, including firefighters, soldiers, police officers and professional rescuers, had been deployed, Xinhua reported.

Aid including tents, quilts and cold-weather equipment had been dispatched by central authorities, it added.

When tourist Meng Lingkang arrived in the town of Lhatse, 65 km from the epicentre, he saw "the buildings had cracked open".

"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," he added.

AFP

cold plateau

Rescuers search for survivors after quake in Tibet kills at least 126