Tibet Earthquake Leaves 16 Killed, 65 Injured as More Than 12,000 People Evacuated
A powerful earthquake in China’s Tibet region has injured 65 people, local authorities said Friday, as rescue teams assessed damage, moved residents to safer locations and responded to hundreds of aftershocks. The death toll remained at 16.
The magnitude-7 earthquake struck Nagqu, a sparsely populated, high-altitude city in northern Tibet, on Thursday, October 22. It was the strongest earthquake to hit China since January 2024, according to Reuters.
Chinese President Xi Jinping has ordered all-out search and rescue efforts for the missing and prompt medical treatment for the injured in Xizang or Tibetan Autonomous Region on Thursday night.
More than 12,000 people have been relocated to safety, state news agency Xinhua reported, as emergency personnel continued operations across the affected area. The rising number of injuries underscores the continuing impact of the quake, even as the reported death toll remained unchanged.
Rescue operations expand as aftershocks continue
More than 300 police officers, including traffic and community police personnel, were sent to the epicentre to assist with rescue and emergency relief, the Nagqu police department said in a post on WeChat early Friday.
Lhawang Dagpo, deputy head of Maru Township, told Xinhua that the tremor was clearly felt at the township government office and its walls developed cracks. “Checks are under way in villages across the township,” Dagpo said, according to Xinhua.
Officers inspected homes for damage and helped residents move to safer locations. Video released by the police on Douyin, China’s version of TikTok, showed personnel loading supplies into a truck at night and examining a building and surrounding rubble with flashlights.
Footage released earlier by local official media showed residents leaving their homes and taking shelter outdoors or inside vehicles parked along streets. One resident said the strong tremor woke them from sleep and that the house could be heard creaking during the shaking.
The China Earthquake Networks Center said 413 aftershocks had been recorded, highlighting the continuing seismic activity following the main shock.
Tibet’s high-altitude communities face earthquake risks
Nagqu lies in northern Tibet, an expansive region characterised by high elevations and sparsely populated settlements. The earthquake has prompted a large-scale relocation effort as authorities work to assess damaged buildings and provide emergency assistance.
The latest disaster also recalls the devastating magnitude-7.1 earthquake that struck Yushu in neighbouring Qinghai province in 2010. That earthquake killed at least 2,698 people and left nearly 300 others missing, Reuters reported.
The two events differ in their reported human toll, but both highlight the risks posed by powerful earthquakes in China’s western and southwestern high-altitude regions.
Authorities in Nagqu continued rescue and relief operations on Friday as the injury count rose. Further assessments will be needed to establish the full scale of the damage and determine whether additional casualties or structural losses emerge.
