Magnitude 7 Earthquake Kills 16 in Tibet, Collapses Hundreds of Homes

A magnitude 7 earthquake struck China’s Tibet region on Thursday evening, killing at least 16 people and injuring 54, while collapsing hundreds of homes in the northern city of Nagqu, Chinese state media reported.

Rescue operations continued on Friday after the earthquake destroyed at least 339 homes and 20 livestock sheds, according to the Nagqu media office, which cited local government officials.

More than 1,600 people from the affected county were deployed to assist with search and rescue efforts. Emergency supplies were also delivered to the region, including 1,000 prefabricated housing units, around 3,000 tents, folding beds, flashlights and winter clothing.

China’s official Xinhua news agency reported that communications had been disrupted in parts of the affected area. Local railway authorities introduced emergency measures and halted trains travelling through the region as officials assessed the situation and worked to ensure public safety.

The earthquake also triggered rockfalls, forcing authorities to close a section of National Highway 317. Only emergency vehicles, rescue teams and official support vehicles were permitted to pass while crews worked to clear rocks and other debris from the road, Xinhua reported.

Weather conditions could complicate relief efforts, with intermittent snowfall expected across the earthquake-hit area over the following three days, according to the news agency. The cold conditions have increased the importance of providing temporary shelter, warm clothing and other essential supplies to affected residents.

China’s state broadcaster CCTV described the earthquake as the strongest to hit the region in the past five years.

According to the United States Geological Survey (USGS), the earthquake occurred at 10:33 p.m. local time. Its epicentre was located about 191 kilometres east-northeast of Nagqu, in a sparsely populated, high-altitude area of northern Tibet. The USGS estimated the quake’s depth at 18 kilometres.

Nagqu lies more than 300 kilometres north of Lhasa, the capital of the Tibet region. Its remote location and high elevation present additional challenges for rescue teams, particularly as authorities work to reach damaged settlements and deliver emergency assistance.

Local officials continued coordinating rescue operations and distributing supplies as the extent of the damage became clearer. The immediate priorities included locating anyone still trapped, assisting injured residents and providing temporary accommodation for people whose homes had been destroyed.

The combination of damaged infrastructure, disrupted communications and expected snowfall posed continuing challenges for emergency workers responding to the disaster.