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A magnitude 7.0 earthquake struck China’s Tibet Autonomous Region on Thursday night, killing at least 16 people, injuring dozens, and collapsing at least 339 homes in the northern city of Nagqu, according to Chinese state media. President Xi Jinping has ordered an “all-out” rescue effort as emergency teams search through rubble in the high-altitude region.
What Happened: 7.0-Magnitude Quake Hits Northern Tibet
The earthquake struck at 10:33 pm local time on Thursday, October 22, the US Geological Survey (USGS) said. Its epicenter was located about 191 kilometers (119 miles) east-northeast of Nagqu, in a sparsely populated, high-altitude area of northern Tibet, at a depth of 18 kilometers (11 miles).
Chinese state media reported the epicenter in Maru township of Baqen County, where the tremors were strong enough to crack walls at the local township office, according to Xinhua news agency. CCTV footage showed diners running out of restaurants and products falling from shaking supermarket shelves as the quake hit.
The tremor was the biggest earthquake to hit the region in five years, China’s national broadcaster CCTV said. Intermittent snow is expected in the affected area over the next three days, Xinhua reported, complicating relief work in the already freezing high-altitude conditions.
Casualties and Damage: 16 Dead, Dozens Injured, 339 Homes Collapsed
The Nagqu earthquake relief headquarters said at least 16 people were killed and 65 injured, the Press Trust of India reported, citing local authorities. The city’s media office said 11 of the injured were in serious condition. Other state media reports put the injured figure at 54, and officials cautioned that the toll could change as rescue teams reach remote areas.
At least 339 homes collapsed in Baqen County, along with 20 livestock sheds, according to the Nagqu media office cited by the Associated Press. The quake also disrupted electricity and telecommunications in the county seat, and rockfalls forced authorities to close a section of National Highway 317 to all but emergency, rescue, and official vehicles, Xinhua said.
Local railway authorities halted trains passing through the region as an emergency precaution, and residents in the county seat described a night of fear. One resident told local media her family rushed outside without getting dressed as their home shook. “They set up tents along the roadside or spent the night in their cars,” she said, adding that residents were afraid to return to their homes.
Rescue Operation: Xi Orders All-Out Effort
Chinese President Xi Jinping said the tremor caused “significant casualties” at a “high-altitude location” in cold weather and urged all-out efforts for rescue and medical relief, according to state media. Authorities activated a Level III emergency response, CCTV reported.
More than 1,600 people from the local county were deployed for rescue efforts, the Nagqu media office said. Relief supplies including 1,000 prefabricated housing units, around 3,000 tents and folding beds, flashlights, and winter clothing were dispatched to the region. More than 300 police officers and 347 fire and rescue personnel were sent to Baqen County, Xinhua reported.
Footage broadcast by CCTV showed rescue workers with torches clambering in the dark through collapsed houses, and emergency personnel carrying an injured person from a damaged building.
Why This Region Is So Seismically Active
Tibet sits on one of the most seismically active zones on Earth, where the Indian tectonic plate collides with the Eurasian plate, pushing up the Himalayas. The plateau experiences frequent earthquakes, and its remote, high-altitude terrain makes rescue operations especially difficult.
Thursday’s quake struck a sparsely populated mountainous area more than 300 kilometers north of Lhasa, the regional capital, according to the USGS. Tibet is largely inaccessible to foreign journalists, and Chinese authorities are the only source of official information about the disaster, the Khaleej Times noted.
FAQ
Where did the Tibet earthquake strike?
The magnitude 7.0 earthquake struck near Maru township in Baqen County, Nagqu City, in northern Tibet, about 191 kilometers east-northeast of Nagqu, according to the USGS.
How many people were killed in the Tibet earthquake?
At least 16 people were killed and dozens injured, according to Chinese state media citing the Nagqu earthquake relief headquarters. Officials said 11 of the injured were in serious condition.
How strong was the Tibet earthquake?
The quake measured magnitude 7.0 and struck at 10:33 pm local time on Thursday at a depth of about 18 kilometers, the USGS said. CCTV called it the region’s biggest earthquake in five years.
What is China doing about the Tibet earthquake?
President Xi Jinping ordered an all-out rescue effort. China activated a Level III emergency response, deployed more than 1,600 rescue personnel, and sent 1,000 prefabricated housing units, 3,000 tents, and winter clothing to the affected area.
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