Magnitude-7 earthquake in Tibet kills at least 16 people, reports say

A magnitude-7 earthquake struck a mountainous area of Tibet, killing at least 16 people. Another 32 were injured, according to Chinese state media reports.

The quake’s centre was in Baqên County in the Nagqu region on Thursday night, Xinhua reported, citing the local emergency management bureau. Authorities declared an emergency and sent rescue teams to the area.

Power was cut in the affected region, where 339 homes collapsed. Rockfalls blocked roads, making it harder for crews to reach high-altitude areas.

Tremors felt in other cities

Strong shaking was also reported in the Tibetan cities of Qamdo and Nyingchi. Baqên County is about 400km north-east of Tibet’s capital, Lhasa.

Videos posted on social media appeared to show villagers running into the streets as buildings shook in the dark. The footage has not been independently verified.

A region prone to major earthquakes

The Tibetan region is vulnerable to powerful seismic activity. In 2023, a magnitude-6.2 earthquake in nearby China’s mountainous Gansu province killed more than 120 people.

Less than two months ago, Tibet and Nepal were also hit by major floods and landslides following a glacier collapse. At least 1,400 people died, while hundreds more were reported missing.