Chinaupdated 1h ago2 min read
Magnitude 7 Earthquake Strikes China’s Tibet Autonomous Region, Killing At Least 16
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At least 16 killed and dozens injured after magnitude 7 quake strikes Tibet near Nagqu Hundreds of homes collapsed, with more than 300 destroyed in Nagqu area
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Tremor Strikes Tibet
A magnitude 7 earthquake struck China’s Tibet Autonomous Region on Thursday evening, killing at least 16 people and injuring 32, according to the official Xinhua news agency.
The quake occurred at 22:33 local time, with its epicenter located about 183 kilometers east-northeast of Nagqu city and at a depth of 18 kilometers, according to the latest data from the United States Geological Survey (USGS).
The China Seismological Bureau activated an emergency response level II, the second-highest on a four-point scale, and the Ministry of Emergency Management and the national rescuing coordination office activated a national level IV response.
The China Seismic Network Center put the epicenter in Baqing County, part of the city of Nagqu, and said the earthquake occurred at a depth of 10 kilometers, compared to the 18 kilometers estimated by the USGS.
The U.S. Geological Survey also confirmed at least six aftershocks with magnitudes between 5.2 and 4.3, with the closest aftershock 193 kilometers northeast of Nagqu city.
Aftershocks, Homes, Response
Chinese state media reported that more than 300 houses collapsed due to the strong quake, and Xinhua said eleven of the injured were in serious condition. The altitude around the epicentre is around 4,800 metres, and the BBC described the Tibetan plateau as a region where temperatures overnight were below freezing. Local media in Nagqu said the number of people with injuries has risen to 65, including 11 people with severe injuries, while the death toll and the number of damaged houses remained the same.
The earthquake collapsed hundreds of homes and killed at least 16 people, and search and rescue efforts continued following the collapse of at least 339 homes and 20 livestock sheds. China’s Premier Li Qiang called for "urgent efforts" to organise rescue operations and medical treatment for the injured, and to relocate and resettle affected residents appropriately.
Relocation and Stakes
Xinhua reported that more than 12,400 people have been relocated after the earthquake, and it said power and communication lines to the area were disrupted. Chinese President Xi Jinping responded to news of the earthquake, ordering a mass rescue operation, and Xi said: "all-out efforts must be made to search for and rescue people trapped by the earthquake". Xi called for "the urgent deployment of emergency rescue supplies" and for "the proper relocation and resettlement of affected residents".
Search and rescue efforts continued following the collapse of at least 339 homes and 20 livestock sheds. Emergency services continued to work to determine the extent of the damage and to establish a definitive toll of victims.