NAGQU, China / AsiaWire.IO / – According to Xinhua News Agency, a magnitude 7.0 earthquake struck Tibet on Thursday night, resulting in at least 16 fatalities and the collapse of more than 300 homes. The emergency management office in Nagqu reported that dozens of individuals also sustained injuries. The tremor hit at 10:33 p.m. local time on October 22 in Baqên County, close to Tibet’s border with Qinghai Province. Authorities are still assessing the full scope of the destruction.
Both the China Earthquake Networks Center and the United States Geological Survey confirmed a magnitude of 7.0. The USGS indicated that the epicenter was approximately 191 kilometres east-northeast of Nagqu city at a depth of 18 kilometres, whereas Chinese officials reported a depth of 10 kilometres. CCTV described the quake as the most powerful in the region in five years.
Local authorities stated that in Baqên County, at least 339 homes have been destroyed, and 20 livestock sheds damaged. Initial reports listed 32 injured, including 11 in critical condition; subsequent updates from state media have increased this number. Landslides blocked parts of National Highway 317, and reports from Maru Township detailed building collapses, ground fissures, and damaged walls.
Over 12,400 Residents Evacuated Amid Massive Response
Authorities initiated a large-scale emergency response, evacuating more than 12,400 residents. The Ministry of Emergency Management dispatched a disaster response team and elevated the emergency level to Level III. Over 1,600 local personnel participated in rescue efforts, supported by over 300 troops and armed police units with 20 vehicles. Military drones carried out reconnaissance flights over the affected zones.
Relief supplies included about 1,000 prefabricated housing units, roughly 3,000 tents and folding beds, as well as flashlights and winter clothing. Police and fire rescue teams established tents to shelter those displaced by the quake. The epicenter is situated in a remote area of northern Tibet at approximately 4,800 metres above sea level. Search and rescue operations continued through the night.
Normal Faulting Identified in Qiangtang Block Earthquake
Seismologists have attributed the quake to normal faulting, which indicates east-west extension of the Tibetan Plateau. The event occurred within the Qiangtang Block, an area that has experienced five other earthquakes of magnitude 7.0 or higher since 1900, including a magnitude 7.5 quake in November 1997. Earthquakes are frequently recorded across western China, with recent tremors also reported in Sichuan.
In January 2025, Tibet experienced 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 updated as rescue operations proceed.