NAGQU, China / AsiaWire.IO / – A magnitude 7.0 tremor shook Tibet in southwestern China on Thursday night, resulting in at least 16 fatalities and injuring dozens, according to United States Geological Survey. The quake 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 destroyed, as reported by the Nagqu emergency management office. Officials indicated that damage assessments were still underway.
Both the USGS and the China Earthquake Networks Center recorded the quake at magnitude 7.0. The USGS estimated the epicenter to be approximately 191 kilometres east-northeast of Nagqu city at a depth of 18 kilometres, while Chinese authorities reported a depth of 10 kilometres. China’s national broadcaster CCTV stated that it was the largest earthquake in the region within the past five years.
Initial reports indicated 32 injuries, 11 of which were serious. As investigations continued, official updates from state media reported higher injury counts. Local officials confirmed that at least 339 homes had collapsed 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 reach affected area
China’s Ministry of Emergency Management activated a disaster response team, elevating emergency response 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 the Tibet Armed Police Corps, supported by 20 vehicles, were mobilized. Drones operated by the Western Theater Command conducted aerial surveys of the impacted zone.
Relief materials, including 1,000 prefabricated housing units, roughly 3,000 tents and folding beds, along with flashlights and winter clothing, 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 about 4,800 metres. Rescue teams worked throughout the night, setting up tents to shelter those displaced.
Tibetan Plateau Continues to Experience Major Seismic Events
The earthquake resulted from normal faulting, aligning with the ongoing east-west extension within the Tibetan Plateau. The epicenter is located in the Qiangtang Block, which has experienced five other earthquakes of magnitude 7.0 or greater since 1900, including a magnitude 7.5 event on November 8, 1997. Western China, including Sichuan, regularly witnesses seismic activity.
In January 2025, a magnitude 7.1 quake struck Dingri County in Tibet near Mount Everest, claiming 126 lives. This recent earthquake follows a magnitude 5.6 earthquake in Pakistan’s Balochistan earlier this month. Authorities in Nagqu are still evaluating the damage and providing assistance to displaced residents. Further casualty reports are anticipated as rescue efforts continue.