In brief
A 7.0‑magnitude earthquake struck Baqèn County in the Nagqu region of Tibet late Thursday night, killing 16 people and injuring 65, including 11 with serious wounds. The epicentre lay 400 km north‑east of Lhasa at roughly 4,800 metres, where the rugged terrain and aftershocks added to the devastation. Chinese state media have declared the incident an emergency, deploying rescue teams and restoring power to parts of the affected area. Premier Li Qiang has pledged urgent medical aid and a 50‑million‑yuan relief fund, while the Ministry of Emergency Management has set up a working group to oversee relief operations.
At 23:22 BST Thursday, a 7.0‑magnitude earthquake slammed Baqèn County in the Nagqu region of Tibet, killing 16 people and leaving 65 injured, including 11 with severe wounds, Xinhua and other Chinese state media reported.
The quake’s epicentre lay 400 km (250 miles) north‑east of Lhasa, at an altitude of about 4,800 metres (15,750 ft). Authorities labelled the event an emergency and dispatched rescue crews to a landscape riddled with fallen power lines and collapsed structures.
More than 339 homes collapsed, and electricity was cut across the region; power was partially restored by Friday morning. Local media said over 12,400 people had been relocated from their homes following the tremor. Rockfall has blocked roads, hampering relief efforts in the high‑altitude terrain.
The US Geological Survey logged seven tremors near the epicentre, the largest being a depth‑10 km 5.2‑magnitude shock. Shallow earthquakes and surface‑level tremors are especially destructive, experts noted.
Survivors have recounted harrowing escapes. Yixi Cuomu, a Nagqu resident, recalled waking up to a violent shaking, storm‑trembling her legs, and hurrying barefoot out of her home as the building quivered. Another eyewitness said the shaking felt like “hundreds of yaks” racing past them.
The region normally experiences many aftershocks; state media reported more than 400 aftershocks since the quake. Premier Li Qiang urged urgent medical assistance, relocation of affected residents, and a 50‑million‑yuan ($7.5m) relief fund.
The Chinese Ministry of Emergency Management has deployed a working group to guide rescue and relief operations, with military support and drones for surveying the disaster zone.
Tibet, long under strict Chinese control, often limits foreign media presence; thus, state media remains the main source of updates during such crises.
Firefighters are seen helping residents injured by the quake in Baqèn, Tibet.
Video footage on social media shows villagers running into the streets in darkness as buildings shudder violently. These clips have not been independently verified. The area is prone to seismic activity—last year, a 6.2‑magnitude quake in nearby Gansu killed over 120 people.
In recent months, floods and landslides caused by a glacier collapse have devastated Tibet and Nepal, killing at least 1,400 people and leaving many missing.
Despite challenging conditions, Tibetan relief teams are experienced and mobilise swiftly; helicopters and drones help assess damage from the plateau’s high altitude.
CCTV footage captured the earthquake’s initiation, offering a rare glimpse of the tremor in real time.
