NAGQU, China / AsiaWire.IO / – A magnitude 7.0 earthquake struck Tibet late Thursday night, resulting in at least 16 fatalities and the destruction of over 300 homes, according to Xinhua News Agency. The emergency management office in Nagqu reported dozens of injuries as well. The quake hit at 10:33 p.m. local time on October 22 in Baqên County, situated near Tibet’s border with Qinghai Province. Authorities are still assessing the full scope of the damage.
Both the China Earthquake Networks Center and the United States Geological Survey confirmed the magnitude at 7.0. The USGS indicated the epicenter was approximately 191 kilometres east-northeast of Nagqu city, at a depth of 18 kilometres, whereas Chinese officials recorded it as 10 kilometres deep. CCTV, the state broadcaster, described this event as the strongest earthquake to hit the region in five years.
Local authorities reported that in Baqên County, at least 339 homes had collapsed, and 20 livestock sheds sustained damage. Initial reports listed 32 injured individuals, including 11 in serious condition, but subsequent updates from state media indicated higher numbers. Rockfalls hindered part of National Highway 317, and in Maru Township, reports of building collapses, ground fissures, and damaged walls were received.
Over 12,400 residents evacuated amid extensive response efforts
In response, authorities evacuated more than 12,400 residents and launched an extensive relief operation. The Ministry of Emergency Management dispatched a disaster response team and elevated the emergency response level to Level III. Over 1,600 local county personnel participated in rescue activities, supported by more than 300 troops and armed police units, utilizing 20 vehicles. Military drones performed reconnaissance flights over the affected zone to assist in assessment and planning.
Relief supplies included approximately 1,000 prefabricated housing units, around 3,000 tents and folding beds, flashlights, and winter clothing. Police and fire rescue teams established tents to shelter those displaced by the quake. The epicenter lies in a remote, sparsely populated region of northern Tibet, with an average elevation near 4,800 metres. Search and rescue efforts continued throughout the night.
Normal faulting identified as the source of the Qiangtang Block quake
Seismologists have attributed the earthquake to normal faulting, indicative of east-west extension of the Tibetan Plateau. The quake occurred within the Qiangtang Block, an area that has experienced five other earthquakes of magnitude 7.0 or higher since 1900, including the largest, a magnitude 7.5 event in November 1997. Earthquakes are frequent across western China, with recent tremors also reported in Sichuan.
In January 2025, Tibet was struck by a deadly magnitude 7.1 earthquake in Dingri County that resulted in 126 fatalities. Additionally, in early October, a magnitude 5.6 earthquake hit Pakistan’s Balochistan province. Officials in Nagqu continue to evaluate damage and coordinate relief efforts for those affected. The casualty figures may be revised as rescue operations are ongoing.