Magnitude 7.0 earthquake kills at least 16 in remote Tibet
A powerful magnitude 7.0 earthquake struck a high-altitude, sparsely populated region of northern Tibet late Thursday, killing at least 16 people and injuring around 65. Chinese authorities have deployed 1,600 rescue personnel to the disaster zone, though blocked roads, rockfalls and forecast snow are hampering relief efforts in the 4,800-metre-high area.
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A magnitude 7.0 earthquake struck a remote, high-altitude part of Tibet Autonomous Region late Thursday, killing at least 16 people and injuring as many as 65, according to local officials cited by Reuters. The earthquake's epicentre, according to the United States Geological Survey, was in a mountainous area approximately 190 kilometres east-northeast of Nagqu and 390 kilometres northeast of Lhasa, the regional capital.
Chinese state news agency Xinhua reported that a level-II earthquake disaster emergency response had been activated, with electricity and communication lines down in the affected area. Officials confirmed that at least 339 homes and 20 livestock sheds had collapsed. State media footage showed residents leaving their homes to shelter outdoors or in vehicles parked on streets.
Beijing has deployed 1,600 rescue personnel to the area, but reaching the disaster zone at approximately 4,800 metres altitude has proved difficult because many roads are blocked or damaged by rockfalls. Snow is forecast over the coming days, further complicating rescue operations in a region that authorities describe as earthquake-prone.
Authorities stated that the area's sparse population may have limited the death toll so far, but they cautioned that casualty figures are likely to increase as search efforts continue. This was the strongest earthquake to hit China since January 2024.
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