NAGQU, China / AsiaWire.IO / – According to reports from Xinhua News Agency, a magnitude 7.0 earthquake struck Tibet in southwestern China on Thursday night, causing the deaths of at least 16 individuals and injuring dozens. 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 border with Qinghai Province. Over 300 residences were destroyed, as stated by the Nagqu emergency management office. Officials indicated that damage assessments were still ongoing.
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 most significant earthquake in the region over the past five years.
Initial casualty figures indicated 32 injuries, with 11 classified as serious. As assessments continued, state media updates increased the injury count. Local officials reported the collapse of at least 339 homes and damage to 20 livestock sheds in Baqên County. Additionally, rockfalls blocked a segment of National Highway 317, and ground cracks along with damaged walls were observed in Maru Township.
Rescue teams and relief efforts reach affected area
Dispatched by China’s Ministry of Emergency Management, a disaster response team was mobilized, and the emergency response level was elevated to Level III. Over 1,600 personnel from the local county participated in rescue operations. The Tibet Military Region and the Tibet Armed Police Corps also deployed more than 300 personnel equipped with 20 vehicles. Aerial reconnaissance of the impacted zone was conducted using drones from the Western Theater Command.
The region received relief supplies such as 1,000 prefabricated housing units, approximately 3,000 tents and folding beds, flashlights, and winter clothing. Over 12,400 residents were evacuated from their homes. The earthquake struck a remote, high-altitude area with an average elevation of about 4,800 metres. Rescue teams labored through the night, constructing tents to shelter those displaced by the destruction.
Repeated significant seismic activity impacts 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, including a magnitude 7.5 event on November 8, 1997. Seismic activity remains common across western China, including in Sichuan province.
In January 2025, a magnitude 7.1 earthquake struck Dingri County in Tibet near Mount Everest, resulting in 126 fatalities. The recent quake follows a magnitude 5.6 earthquake in Pakistan’s Balochistan earlier this month. Authorities in Nagqu continue to evaluate the damage and assist residents displaced by the event. Further updates on casualties are anticipated as rescue efforts persist.