A magnitude 7.0 earthquake struck China's remote Tibet region on Thursday night, killing at least 16 people, injuring dozens and collapsing hundreds of homes, Chinese state media said.1,2,3,4
The quake struck at 10:33 p.m. local time, according to the US Geological Survey, with its epicentre in a mountainous, sparsely populated, high-altitude area of northern Tibet. The agency said the epicentre was about 190 kilometres, or 119 miles, east-northeast of Nagqu and 390 kilometres northeast of the regional capital, Lhasa. China's national broadcaster CCTV said it was the strongest earthquake to hit the region in five years.1,2,3,4
The death toll of at least 16 was consistent across the reports, but the number of injured was not. Chinese state media reported 65 people injured, and DW said the local media office put 11 of them in serious condition. Al Jazeera, citing the local media office, reported 46 injured, with 11 in serious condition and 35 with minor injuries. The New York Post put the number at 54, and France 24, citing Xinhua, said 32 people were injured.1,2,3,4
Local government officials said at least 339 residential buildings and 20 livestock sheds had collapsed, according to state media. The New York Post and Al Jazeera also reported 339 homes collapsed, while France 24 said more than 300 houses had fallen. Xinhua said officials were still evaluating the damage.1,2,3,4
The epicentre was located in Maru township in Baqen county, according to Xinhua. The agency said the quake was clearly felt at the township office, which sustained cracks in its walls. Power and telecommunications services were disrupted in the county seat, and Xinhua said communication was down in some areas hit by the quake.2,3
The US Geological Survey put the depth of the quake at 11 miles, according to the New York Post. France 24 reported a shallow depth of 10 kilometres. The agency also recorded at least seven aftershocks, with magnitudes between 4.3 and 5.2, all at a depth of 6 miles, according to its website as cited by the New York Post.2,3
Chinese President Xi Jinping ordered "all-out search and rescue efforts" to locate missing people, provide "prompt medical treatment for the injured" and called for "every effort to minimize casualties," Xinhua said, according to DW. The New York Post also reported that Xi called for all-out efforts in rescue operations and medical relief work.1,2
A level-II earthquake disaster emergency response was activated in the area, Xinhua said. The New York Post reported that more than 1,600 people from the local county had been deployed for rescue efforts. Firefighters were also sent to help with relief work, with DW publishing images of crews inspecting a quake-affected village in Baqen county. Supplies including 1,000 prefabricated housing units, around 3,000 tents and folding beds, as well as flashlights and winter clothing, had arrived in the region, according to the New York Post.1,2,3,4
Rockfalls forced local authorities to close a section of National Highway 317, allowing only emergency, rescue and official support vehicles through as crews cleared debris, Xinhua said, according to the New York Post. Local railway authorities took emergency action to halt trains passing through the region.2
Local authorities found at least two people injured in a village near the epicentre, and some houses in villages closest to it showed cracks, according to Xinhua as cited by Al Jazeera. Videos released by local state media showed people leaving their homes and seeking shelter outside or in their cars parked on the street.4
Earthquakes are relatively common in China, France 24 reported. In January 2025, at least 126 people were killed in an earthquake in Tibet's rural Tingri county. DW reported that Thursday's quake is the most powerful to hit China since January 2024.1,3,4
Rescue and relief work was continuing in the area, and the full extent of the damage was not yet known, as officials were still evaluating it. Intermittent snow is expected in the earthquake region over the next three days, Xinhua said.2,3
