Magnitude 7.0 earthquake strikes Tibet, killing 16 and injuring dozens

At least 16 people died and dozens were injured after a powerful 7.0-magnitude earthquake hit the mountainous Nagqu region of Tibet on Thursday night.

The earthquake struck at 10:33 p.m. local time on Thursday in a high-altitude, sparsely populated area of northern Tibet. According to the US Geological Survey, the epicenter was located approximately 119 miles east-north-east of the city of Nagqu at a depth of 11 miles. Chinese state broadcaster CCTV identified the event as the strongest earthquake to hit the region in five years.

Casualty figures vary slightly across reports, but officials confirmed at least 16 fatalities. Reuters reported that injuries had risen to 65, while the BBC noted that 11 of those injured were in severe condition. Official media reported that the tremors destroyed 339 homes and 20 livestock sheds, forcing more than 12,400 residents to relocate. One resident described the shaking to local media as feeling like "several hundred yaks were running past."

Search and rescue teams involving over 1,600 personnel have been deployed to the disaster zone, where they are navigating collapsed roofs and debris. Emergency supplies, including thousands of tents, folding beds, and winter clothing, are being sent to the area as survivors face subzero temperatures. While power has been restored to some locations, communication remains cut in several districts, and local railway services were halted as a precaution.

Rescue efforts are being complicated by geographic and weather conditions. Rockfalls triggered by the quake forced the closure of National Highway 317, and Xinhua news agency reported that intermittent snow is expected over the next three days. President Xi Jinping and Premier Li Qiang have both issued calls for all-out medical relief and urgent rescue operations in the affected high-altitude zones.

Background

Earthquakes are common in the region; in January 2025, a quake in Tibet's Tingri county killed at least 126 people. The affected area in Nagqu sits at an altitude of approximately 4,800 meters.