Nagqu Quake Flattens 339 Homes, Leaves 16 Dead in Northern Tibet

A magnitude 7 earthquake struck northern Tibet on Thursday evening, killing at least 16 people and injuring 46 others. The U.S. Geological Survey recorded the event at 10:33 p.m. local time with a depth of 18 kilometers. The epicenter was located 191 kilometers east-northeast of Nagqu, a sparsely populated high-altitude zone.

Official media reported that the most severe damage occurred around the city of Nagqu. The Nagqu media office cited city government figures stating that at least 339 homes and 20 livestock sheds collapsed. Among the 46 injured, 11 were in serious condition and 35 suffered minor injuries. Search and rescue operations remained active as of the latest reports.

Local authorities mobilized more than 1,600 personnel from the county to assist in the rescue effort. Relief supplies have arrived in the region, including 1,000 prefabricated housing units, approximately 3,000 tents, folding beds, flashlights, and winter clothing. These items are intended to shelter residents whose homes were destroyed.

Xinhua reported that communication services were down in parts of the region. Local railway authorities halted train traffic through the affected area as an emergency measure. The quake also triggered rockfalls, leading officials to close a section of National Highway 317. Only emergency and support vehicles were permitted to pass while crews cleared debris.

Intermittent snow is forecast for the quake zone over the next three days, according to Xinhua. China's national broadcaster CCTV identified this as the largest earthquake in the region in the past five years. Nagqu is situated more than 300 kilometers north of Lhasa, the capital of the Tibetan region.