NAGQU, China / AsiaWire.IO / – On Thursday night, southwestern China’s Tibet region experienced a significant seismic event, registering a magnitude 7.0 earthquake that resulted in at least 16 fatalities and numerous injuries, according to Xinhua News Agency. The tremor struck 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 structures were reported to have collapsed, with the Nagqu emergency management office indicating that damage assessments are ongoing.
Both the United States Geological Survey and the China Earthquake Networks Center recorded the quake at magnitude 7.0. The USGS located the epicenter approximately 191 kilometres east-northeast of Nagqu city at a depth of 18 kilometres, whereas Chinese authorities reported a depth of 10 kilometres. According to CCTV, China’s national broadcaster, this was the largest earthquake in the region over the past five years.
Initial reports indicated 32 individuals were injured, with 11 sustaining serious wounds. As ongoing assessments continued, official updates from state media provided higher injury figures. Local officials noted that at least 339 homes had been destroyed, and 20 livestock sheds damaged in Baqên County. Landslides blocked parts of National Highway 317, while ground fissures and damaged walls were observed in Maru Township.
Rescue efforts and aid distribution underway in quake-affected area
In response, China’s Ministry of Emergency Management has deployed a disaster relief team, elevating the emergency response level to Level III. Over 1,600 local personnel have been mobilized for rescue operations, along with more than 300 troops from the Tibet Military Region and Tibet Armed Police Corps, supported by 20 vehicles. Additionally, drones operated by the Western Theater Command conducted aerial surveys of the damaged zone.
Relief supplies, including 1,000 prefabricated housing units, approximately 3,000 tents and folding beds, flashlights, and winter clothing, have arrived in the affected area. In total, over 12,400 residents have been evacuated. The earthquake struck a remote, high-altitude region with an average elevation of about 4,800 metres. Rescue teams continued working through the night, erecting tents to shelter those displaced from their homes.
Frequent seismic activity highlights Tibetan Plateau’s vulnerability
The earthquake resulted from normal faulting, consistent with ongoing east-west extension within the Tibetan Plateau. The epicenter lies within the Qiangtang Block, which has experienced five other earthquakes of magnitude 7.0 or greater since 1900, including a notable magnitude 7.5 event on November 8, 1997. Seismic activity remains common in western China, including in Sichuan province.
In January 2025, a magnitude 7.1 earthquake struck Dingri County in Tibet near Mount Everest, causing 126 deaths. The latest quake follows a magnitude 5.6 earthquake in Pakistan’s Balochistan province earlier this month. Authorities in Nagqu are still evaluating the extent of the damage and providing support to displaced residents. Updates on casualties are anticipated as rescue operations persist.