Powerful magnitude-7 quake hits Tibet, leaving 16 dead and dozens injured

A powerful magnitude-7 earthquake struck northern Tibet late Thursday (October 22), killing at least 16 people and injuring 32 others, Chinese state media reported.

The earthquake hit at about 10.33pm local time, with its epicentre in a sparsely populated, high-altitude area of Nagqu in northern Tibet, according to the China Earthquake Networks Center (CENC).

The quake occurred at a depth of about 10 kilometres, while the area within five kilometres of the epicentre has an average elevation of about 4,864 metres above sea level.

As of 2.25am on Friday, 11 of the injured were in serious condition, while 21 had sustained minor injuries, Xinhua reported, citing the Nagqu City emergency management authorities.

Homes damaged near epicentre

Authorities reported damage to homes in villages close to the epicentre, with cracks appearing in some buildings.

At least two people were initially found injured in one village near the epicentre as officials began assessing the extent of the damage.

Footage released by local state-run media showed residents leaving their homes following the strong tremor, with some seeking shelter outdoors or inside vehicles parked on the streets.

One resident told local media that the earthquake woke them from sleep and that they could hear the house creaking during the shaking.

The tremor was clearly felt across the surrounding area, according to CENC.

The epicentre was about 400 kilometres from Lhasa, the Tibetan regional capital.

Rescue teams sent to affected area

Local fire and rescue teams were mobilised and sent towards the affected communities as authorities continued searching for casualties and assessing structural damage.

A series of smaller earthquakes followed the main shock, with aftershocks of around magnitude 3 to 4 recorded in nearby areas, CENC data showed.

The magnitude-7 earthquake was the strongest to strike China since January 2024, according to Reuters.

The remote location and high altitude of the affected area could complicate rescue and damage-assessment operations as teams attempt to reach scattered communities.

Region has history of major earthquakes

The Tibetan Plateau and neighbouring areas are highly seismically active.

In 2010, a magnitude-7.1 earthquake struck Yushu in neighbouring Qinghai province, around 280 kilometres from the latest earthquake zone.

That disaster killed at least 2,698 people, while nearly 300 others were reported missing.

Authorities are continuing to assess the scale of damage from Thursday night’s earthquake, with the casualty figures subject to further updates as rescuers reach communities near the epicentre.

Source: Reuters