A powerful magnitude 7.0 earthquake has struck northern Tibet, killing at least 16 people and injuring 65, according to local authorities.
The earthquake struck Baqên County in Nagqu at approximately 10:33 p.m. local time on Thursday, 22 October. The China Earthquake Networks Center placed the epicentre at approximately 32.40 degrees north and 93.79 degrees east and reported a depth of 10 kilometres.
Nagqu is a vast, sparsely populated region on the Tibetan Plateau, where settlements can be isolated by high altitude and difficult terrain. Reuters reported that the earthquake was the strongest to strike China since January 2024.
Thousands of residents have been moved from affected areas while emergency teams search damaged buildings and assess isolated communities. More than 12,000 people have reportedly been relocated or evacuated.
The main earthquake has also been followed by hundreds of aftershocks. The Tibet earthquake authorities recorded repeated tremors in Baqên County during the hours after the initial event, including earthquakes around magnitude 4.
Chinese emergency authorities have dispatched rescue personnel and relief supplies including tents, beds, quilts and heating equipment. Damage has included collapsed homes, cracked buildings, rockfalls and disruption along roads in the affected region.
WHAT WE KNOW: The magnitude, location and time of the earthquake have been confirmed by China’s official earthquake monitoring network. The reported death and injury figures remain subject to change as rescue operations continue.
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