Nagqu Quake: 16 Dead, 339 Homes Destroyed as 1,600 Workers Deploy

Northern Tibet experienced a major seismic event on Thursday night that resulted in immediate structural damage and loss of life. The quake struck at 10:33 p.m. local time, according to the US Geological Survey. Its epicenter was located 119 miles east-northeast of Nagqu, at a depth of 11 miles.

Chinese official media reported that at least 16 people died and 54 were injured. The Nagqu media office stated that 339 homes and 20 livestock sheds collapsed. CCTV identified the event as the largest earthquake in the region within the past five years. Search and rescue operations remained active as of Friday.

The US Geological Survey recorded at least seven aftershocks, with magnitudes ranging from 4.3 to 5.2. These tremors occurred at a depth of 6 miles. Footage from CCTV showed goods falling from shelves in supermarkets and workers exiting restaurants as the ground shook. Rescuers were seen navigating through buildings with collapsed roofs.

Local authorities mobilized a substantial workforce for the relief effort. More than 1,600 people from the local county joined the rescue teams. Xinhua reported that over 300 police officers and nearly 350 personnel from regional fire and rescue services were dispatched to the area.

Supplies began arriving at the affected zones to support displaced residents. The package included 1,000 prefabricated housing units, approximately 3,000 tents, folding beds, torches, and winter clothing. Intermittent snow was forecast for the following three days, adding urgency to the provision of warm gear.

Infrastructure in the region faced immediate disruptions. Local railway authorities halted trains passing through the area as a precaution. Rockfalls closed a section of national highway 317, restricting traffic to emergency and official support vehicles while crews cleared debris. Communications remained down in some parts of the affected area, according to Xinhua.

President Xi Jinping called for a comprehensive effort in rescue operations and medical relief. Nagqu is situated more than 185 miles north of Lhasa. The region has a history of seismic activity, including a January 2025 earthquake in Tingri county that killed at least 126 people and a December 2023 quake in Gansu province that claimed at least 134 lives.