A powerful 7.0 magnitude earthquake in the Tibet Autonomous Region of southwestern China has resulted in at least 16 deaths, 46 injuries, and the destruction of 339 homes.
China News Service reported today (Friday, October 23) that 11 of the injured are in critical condition. The earthquake struck Thursday night local time in Nagqu city, causing significant damage.
The China Earthquake Networks Center reported the earthquake's depth at 10 kilometers and its epicenter about 70 kilometers from the center of Baqên County. Tremors were felt across wide areas, including Lhasa and the neighboring Qinghai province.
Following the event, search and rescue operations were launched by Chinese emergency teams. An eight-member firefighting team reportedly arrived in the area around 2 a.m. Friday and successfully pulled one person alive from the rubble.
The earthquake has also disrupted train services on the Qinghai-Tibet railway, causing delays for several trains. Multiple aftershocks were recorded, the largest being 4.3 magnitude.
This event occurs less than two years after a deadly 6.8 magnitude earthquake in January 2025, which left 126 people dead. However, the deadliest earthquake in Tibet's recent history was a 7.1 magnitude quake in 2010 that killed over 2,600 people.
Source: China News Service
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