Tibet Earthquake Claims 16 Lives

At least 16 people have been killed and 46 others injured after a powerful earthquake struck China's remote Tibet region, according to state media, citing local authorities.

The 7.0-magnitude earthquake struck at 10:33 pm on Thursday (1433 GMT), causing more than 300 houses to collapse. Officials were assessing the extent of the damage as rescue and relief operations continued, state news agency Xinhua reported.

China Central Television (CCTV) reported that 46 people had been injured, including 11 who were seriously hurt. Citing local officials, it said 339 houses had either collapsed or sustained damage.

Footage broadcast by CCTV showed people rushing out of restaurants as the tremor struck, while goods and other objects fell from supermarket shelves.

According to the US Geological Survey, the earthquake's epicentre was in a mountainous area approximately 190 kilometres east-northeast of Nagqu and 390 kilometres northeast of Lhasa, the regional capital. The tremor originated at a relatively shallow depth of around 10 kilometres.

Authorities activated a Level III earthquake disaster emergency response, CCTV reported.

The epicentre was located in Maru township in Baqen county. Township deputy head Lhawang Dagpo told Xinhua that the earthquake was strongly felt at the township office, where cracks appeared in the walls.

Power supplies and telecommunications services were disrupted in the county seat, according to Xinhua.

More than 300 police officers were deployed to assist with relief efforts, while the regional fire and rescue corps mobilised 347 personnel to the affected areas.

CCTV footage showed rescue workers navigating damaged buildings, including structures with collapsed roofs, while carrying an injured person to safety. Other footage showed emergency personnel inspecting damaged structures with flashlights and soldiers preparing for deployment.

China's History of Deadly Earthquakes

Earthquakes are relatively common in China, which has experienced several devastating tremors in recent years.

In January 2025, at least 126 people were killed when an earthquake struck Tingri county in rural Tibet.

In December 2023, a powerful earthquake in the remote northwestern province of Gansu killed at least 127 people, according to state media. It was China's deadliest earthquake since 2014, when a tremor in southwestern Yunnan province claimed more than 600 lives.

One of the country's worst modern disasters occurred in 2008, when a massive earthquake struck Sichuan province, leaving around 90,000 people dead or missing. The victims included approximately 5,000 schoolchildren.