Magnitude-7 Quake Flattens Homes in Remote Tibetan Region
At least 16 people died and 54 were injured as a strong earthquake struck Nagqu, triggering rescue operations in the high-altitude area.
By Diego Ross ·
A magnitude-7 earthquake struck northern Tibet on Thursday night, killing at least 16 people and injuring 54. The tremor occurred at 10:33 pm local time, sending shockwaves through the region around the city of Nagqu. Chinese official media confirmed the casualty counts as search and rescue teams worked through the debris.
Local authorities reported that at least 339 homes and 20 livestock sheds collapsed in and around Nagqu. The US Geological Survey located the epicenter 119 miles east-northeast of the city, at a depth of 11 miles. The area is sparsely populated and sits at high altitude. The agency recorded at least seven aftershocks ranging from magnitude 4.3 to 5.2 in the hours following the main shock.
Rescue operations involved more than 1,600 local personnel. Xinhua reported that over 300 police officers and nearly 350 fire and rescue workers joined the effort. Authorities delivered supplies to the affected zones, including 1,000 prefabricated housing units and about 3,000 tents. The shipments also included folding beds, torches, and winter clothing to help displaced residents.
Infrastructure damage complicated the relief response. Communications went down in some parts of the region, and local railway authorities halted train traffic. A section of National Highway 317 closed after rockfalls blocked the route. Emergency and rescue vehicles were the only ones allowed through while crews cleared the debris. Forecasters predicted intermittent snow for the next three days, adding to the challenges for ground crews.
President Xi Jinping called for an all-out effort in the rescue and medical relief work. CCTV described the event as the strongest quake in the region in five years. Footage from the broadcaster showed workers rushing out of restaurants and rescuers climbing through buildings with collapsed roofs. Nagqu is located more than 185 miles north of Lhasa, the capital of the Tibet Autonomous Region.
Earthquakes occur frequently in China, and the Tibetan plateau is seismically active. In January 2025, a quake in Tingri county killed at least 126 people. In December 2023, a tremor in Gansu province killed at least 134 people, marking the deadliest quake in the country since 2014. That earlier disaster in Yunnan province resulted in more than 600 deaths. Tibet remains one of China's poorest regions, with a population that has maintained a tense relationship with Beijing since the 1950s.
Source: The Guardian
