NAGQU, China / AsiaWire.IO / – A magnitude 7.0 earthquake hit Tibet in southwestern China on Thursday night, resulting in at least 16 fatalities and dozens of injuries, according to Xinhua News Agency. The tremor occurred at 10:33 p.m. local time on October 22 in Baqên County, situated in the northern part of Nagqu near the Qinghai border. Over 300 homes were reported to have collapsed, as per the Nagqu emergency management office. Officials stated that damage assessments are still underway.
Both the United States Geological Survey and the China Earthquake Networks Center recorded the quake at magnitude 7.0. The USGS identified the epicenter approximately 191 kilometres east-northeast of Nagqu city at a depth of 18 kilometres, while the Chinese agency reported a depth of 10 kilometres. China’s national broadcaster CCTV noted that this was the strongest earthquake in the region over the past five years.
Initial reports indicated 32 injuries, with 11 classified as serious. As evaluations continued, official updates from state media showed higher injury counts. Local authorities confirmed that at least 339 homes had been destroyed, and 20 livestock sheds sustained damage in Baqên County. Landslides blocked part of National Highway 317, and cracks in the ground along with damaged walls were observed in Maru Township.
Rescue efforts and aid supplies arrive in affected area
China’s Ministry of Emergency Management sent a disaster response team, elevating the emergency level to Level III. Over 1,600 personnel from the local county participated in rescue operations. Additionally, more than 300 members of the Tibet Military Region and Tibet Armed Police Corps, along with 20 vehicles, were mobilized. Aerial reconnaissance was conducted by drones from the Western Theater Command to survey the impacted zone.
Relief items, including 1,000 prefabricated housing units, around 3,000 tents and foldable beds, flashlights, and winter apparel, arrived in the area. Over 12,400 residents were evacuated from their homes. The earthquake struck a remote, high-altitude region with an average elevation of approximately 4,800 metres. Rescue teams operated through the night, setting up tents to shelter those displaced.
Frequent seismic activity marks the Tibetan Plateau
The earthquake resulted from normal faulting, aligning with ongoing east-west extension within the Tibetan Plateau. Its epicenter is located in the Qiangtang Block, which has experienced five other earthquakes of magnitude 7.0 or higher since 1900, the largest being a magnitude 7.5 event on November 8, 1997. Seismic events are also common in other parts of western China, including Sichuan.
In January 2025, a magnitude 7.1 quake struck Dingri County in Tibet near Mount Everest, claiming 126 lives. The latest tremor follows a magnitude 5.6 earthquake in Pakistan’s Balochistan earlier this month. Authorities in Nagqu continue to evaluate the damage and assist displaced residents. Updates on casualties are anticipated as rescue efforts persist.