16 dead after magnitude 7 quake hits northern Tibet

A magnitude 7 earthquake struck China's Tibet region on Thursday evening, killing at least 16 people and injuring 46 others. The U.S. Geological Survey recorded the event at 10:33 p.m. local time with a depth of 18 kilometres. The epicenter located 191 kilometres east-northeast of Nagqu, a sparsely populated area in high-altitude northern Tibet.

The Nagqu media office reported that 339 homes and 20 livestock sheds collapsed. Eleven of the injured are in serious condition, while 35 sustained minor injuries. Search and rescue operations are ongoing. CCTV described the tremor as the largest in the region in five years.

Local authorities mobilized more than 1,600 workers from the county to assist in the rescue effort. Relief supplies have reached the area, including 1,000 prefabricated housing units, approximately 3,000 tents, folding beds, flashlights, and winter clothing. These items aim to support residents who have lost their primary shelters.

Infrastructure disruptions complicated the response. Xinhua reported that communication services were down in parts of the region. Railway authorities halted train traffic through the affected zone. Officials closed a section of National Highway 317 due to rockfalls, restricting passage to emergency and official support vehicles while crews clear debris.

Weather conditions present further challenges for the coming days. Xinhua forecast intermittent snow across the quake zone for the next three days. Nagqu sits more than 300 kilometres north of Lhasa, the Tibetan capital.