Nagqu officials mobilize 1,600 workers after magnitude 7 quake kills 16
The tremor struck at 10:33 p.m., destroying 339 homes and forcing the closure of Highway 317 as snow is forecast for the next three days.
By Tunde Bailey ·
More than 1,600 workers from the local county have been deployed to assist with rescue efforts in northern Tibet following a magnitude 7 earthquake. The tremor struck at 10:33 p.m. local time on Thursday, killing at least 16 people and injuring 54, according to Chinese official media. The US Geological Survey logged the epicenter 119 miles east-northeast of the regional city of Nagqu, at a depth of 11 miles.
The Nagqu media office stated that at least 339 homes and 20 livestock sheds collapsed in and around the city. Search and rescue operations were still under way as of Friday. China's national broadcaster CCTV described the event as the largest quake in the region in the past five years. The agency logged at least seven aftershocks ranging from magnitude 4.3 to 5.2, each at a depth of 6 miles.
Footage released by CCTV showed workers running from restaurants and goods falling from supermarket shelves during the initial shaking. Rescuers were seen climbing through damaged buildings, some with collapsed roofs. Xinhua reported that over 300 police officers were sent for relief work, while regional fire and rescue services dispatched nearly 350 personnel.
Supplies sent to the affected area included 1,000 prefabricated housing units, approximately 3,000 tents, folding beds, torches, and winter clothing. Communications were down in some parts of the region, according to Xinhua. Local railway authorities halted trains passing through the area as a precaution.
Rockfalls forced the closure of a section of national highway 317. The road remained open only to emergency, rescue, and official support vehicles while crews cleared debris. Intermittent snow is forecast for the next three days, adding to the challenge for rescue teams working at high altitude.
Chinese President Xi Jinping called for an all-out effort in the rescue operation and medical relief work. Nagqu is located more than 185 miles north of Lhasa, the capital of Tibet. Earthquakes are common in the region. In January 2025, a quake in Tibet's rural Tingri county killed at least 126 people. In December 2023, a tremor in Gansu province killed at least 134 people, making it China's deadliest since 2014.
