Devastating Magnitude 7 Earthquake Strikes Tibet, Claiming 16 Lives and Injuring Dozens

A powerful magnitude 7 earthquake struck China’s southwestern region of Tibet on Thursday night, resulting in the deaths of 16 people and injuring 32 others, according to state news agency Xinhua. The tremor occurred around 10:33 p.m. local time (1433 GMT), as reported by Nagqu City’s emergency management bureau. Among the injured, 11 are in serious condition, while 21 sustained minor injuries.

In response to the disaster, a level-II earthquake disaster emergency response has been activated in the affected area. The US Geological Survey located the earthquake’s epicentre in a mountainous area approximately 190 kilometers east-northeast of Nagqu and 390 kilometers northeast of the regional capital, Lhasa.

Local authorities have confirmed that at least two individuals were found injured in a village situated near the epicentre. Xinhua also reported that some houses in villages closest to the epicenter have shown signs of cracking. Videos shared by local official media depicted residents evacuating their homes, seeking refuge outdoors or in vehicles parked on the streets.

This earthquake marks the strongest seismic event to impact China since January 2024. This is a developing story.