NAGQU, China / AsiaWire.IO / – On Thursday night, a magnitude 7.0 tremor struck Tibet in the southwestern part of China, resulting in at least 16 fatalities and dozens of injuries, according to the United States Geological Survey. The seismic event occurred at 10:33 p.m. local time on October 22, in Baqên County, situated in northern Nagqu close to the Qinghai border. Over 300 residences were destroyed, as reported by the Nagqu emergency management authorities. Officials indicated that the full extent of the destruction was still under evaluation.
Both the USGS 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. According to China’s national broadcaster CCTV, this event is the most significant earthquake in the region over the past five years.
Initial reports indicated 32 individuals were injured, with 11 of them suffering serious injuries. As damage assessments progressed, state media provided updated figures showing higher injury counts. Local officials confirmed at least 339 homes collapsed, and 20 livestock sheds were damaged in Baqên County. Landslides blocked a segment of National Highway 317, and cracks in the ground along with damaged walls were observed in Maru Township.
Rescue efforts and aid distribution underway in quake-affected area
Dispatched by China’s Ministry of Emergency Management, a disaster response team was sent to the site, and emergency response was elevated to Level III. Over 1,600 local personnel participated in rescue operations, supplemented by more than 300 soldiers from the Tibet Military Region and the Tibet Armed Police Corps, equipped with 20 vehicles. Aerial reconnaissance was carried out using drones from the Western Theater Command.
Relief supplies, including 1,000 prefabricated housing units, roughly 3,000 tents and folding beds, flashlights, and winter clothing, arrived to support the affected community. Over 12,400 residents were evacuated from the danger zone. The quake impacted a sparsely populated, high-altitude region with an average elevation of around 4,800 metres. Rescue teams worked tirelessly through the night, erecting tents to shelter those displaced from their homes.
Frequent seismic activity plagues the Tibetan Plateau
The earthquake resulted from normal faulting, consistent 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. Seismic activity remains common across western China, notably in Sichuan.
In January 2025, a magnitude 7.1 quake struck Dingri County in Tibet near Mount Everest, claiming 126 lives. The recent tremor follows a magnitude 5.6 earthquake in Pakistan’s Balochistan earlier this month. Authorities in Nagqu continue to evaluate damage and assist displaced residents. Additional updates on casualties are anticipated as rescue efforts proceed.