A powerful magnitude 7.0 earthquake struck northern Tibet on Thursday evening, leaving behind casualties and heavy material damage. According to official reports cited by Chinese state media, the toll so far stands at 16 dead, 32 injured, and hundreds of homes collapsed.
Preliminary toll of casualties and damage
Initial data point to a severe impact in the mountainous Nagqu area, where according to the official version more than 300 homes have collapsed.
The toll remains preliminary, and in such cases the number of dead and injured may change as on-the-ground verification progresses.
Where the earthquake struck
The tremor was recorded at 10:33 p.m. local time in the mountainous Nagqu province in northern Tibet.
According to preliminary data, the epicenter was about 400 kilometers from Lhasa, while the earthquake’s depth was reported at just 10 kilometers, a factor that usually increases the destructive effect at the surface.
Residents rushed out of their homes
After the quake, residents quickly left their homes and sought shelter in open spaces and in vehicles, fearing further collapses.
Footage broadcast by state media in China shows people abandoning their homes immediately after the strong shaking.
The region faces seismic risk again
According to reports so far, this is the strongest tremor recorded in China since January 2024.
The event has also revived memories of the devastating 2010 earthquake in Yushu county, in neighboring Qinghai province, one of the region’s most severe seismic disasters.
The mountainous terrain and fragile infrastructure in such areas remain factors that can worsen the consequences for the local population whenever earthquakes of this strength strike.
So far, information on casualties and damage is based on statements from local authorities cited by Xinhua.
In the affected areas, the risk of aftershocks and further damage to homes and infrastructure remains high.