The Assam-Tibet earthquake

4 snips

Aug 6, 2025

Frank Kingdon-Ward, a British botanist, recounts his harrowing experience during the 1950 Assam-Tibet earthquake while camping in Tibet with his wife, Jean. He vividly describes the earth trembling beneath them and their overwhelming fear as they faced destruction. The catastrophic impact of the quake, which claimed around 4,800 lives, leaves them stranded with limited supplies. Their perilous two-week journey to safety reveals both the challenges of navigating chaos and the strength of their bond in the face of nature's fury.

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ANECDOTE

Terrifying Experience During Earthquake

Frank Kingdon-Ward and his wife experienced terrifying ground sagging and roaring sounds during the 1950 Assam-Tibet earthquake.
They remained calm towards each other despite the overwhelming chaos and fear around them.

INSIGHT

Catastrophic Impact on Terrain and Paths

The earthquake caused massive landslides that buried forests and blocked rivers, creating subsequent floods.
Destruction of paths and a rope bridge left survivors stranded and isolated in the mountains.

INSIGHT

High Death Toll and Causes

The earthquake killed an estimated 4,800 people, mostly by landslides and floods washing away villages.
Many affected may have also died from starvation due to the disaster's impact.

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On 15 August 1950, an 8.6 magnitude earthquake shook the Himalaya mountains – wiping out whole villages in Tibet and north-east India.

The death toll was estimated to be about 4,800.

The late British botanist Frank Kingdon-Ward was camping in Tibet with his wife Jean when the ground beneath them began to sag.

“I felt as though we were lying on a pie crust against whicha steam hammer was drumming,” he said.

“In another minute it must crack, crumple, and drop us into the shuddering interior of the earth.

“I can't convey to you our terror, bewilderment, sense of utter helplessness.”

The pair had been planning to go seed hunting in the mountains. Instead, they were stranded with limited rations.

In an interview he gave to the BBC in 1951, Frank Kingdon-Ward describes the destruction the quake caused and their perilous journey to safety.

This programme is made in collaboration with BBC Archives. It's produced and presented by Vicky Farncombe.

Eye-witness accounts brought to life by archive. Witness History is for those fascinated by the past. We take you to the events that have shaped our world through the eyes of the people who were there. For nine minutes every day, we take you back in time and all over the world, to examine wars, coups, scientific discoveries, cultural moments and much more. Recent episodes explore everything from the death of Adolf Hitler, the first spacewalk and the making of the movie Jaws, to celebrity tortoise Lonesome George, the Kobe earthquake and the invention of superglue. We look at the lives of some of the most famous leaders, artists, scientists and personalities in history, including: Eva Peron – Argentina’s Evita; President Ronald Reagan and his famous ‘tear down this wall’ speech; Thomas Keneally on why he wrote Schindler’s List; and Jacques Derrida, France’s ‘rock star’ philosopher. You can learn all about fascinating and surprising stories, such as the civil rights swimming protest; the disastrous D-Day rehearsal; and the death of one of the world’s oldest languages.

(Photo: A bridge damaged by the 1950 earthquake in Assam, India. Credit: Getty Images)