NAGQU, China / AsiaWire.IO / – At least 16 individuals lost their lives, and over 300 homes were destroyed following a magnitude 7.0 quake that struck Tibet on Thursday night, as reported by Xinhua News Agency. The emergency management office in Nagqu indicated that dozens of people sustained injuries. The tremor hit at 10:33 p.m. local time on October 22 in Baqên County, situated near Tibet’s border with Qinghai Province. Authorities are still evaluating 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 reported that the epicenter was approximately 191 kilometres east-northeast of Nagqu city, at a depth of 18 kilometres. Chinese officials measured the depth at 10 kilometres. CCTV described the event as the strongest earthquake in the region in five years.
Local authorities reported that at least 339 homes were demolished, and 20 livestock sheds suffered damage in Baqên County. Initial reports indicated 32 injuries, with 11 in critical condition; later updates from state media increased that number. Rockfalls blocked parts of National Highway 317. Reports from Maru Township included building collapses, ground fractures, and damaged walls.
Over 12,400 Residents Evacuated Amid Extensive Response Efforts
Authorities evacuated more than 12,400 residents as part of a large-scale emergency response. The Ministry of Emergency Management dispatched a disaster response team and elevated the emergency response level to Level III. More than 1,600 local personnel participated in rescue efforts, supported by over 300 troops and armed police units with 20 vehicles. Drones from the military conducted reconnaissance flights over the affected zone.
Relief supplies included approximately 1,000 prefabricated housing units, around 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 located in a remote part of northern Tibet, at an average altitude of around 4,800 metres. Search and rescue operations continued throughout the night.
Normal Faulting Responsible for Qiangtang Block Earthquake
Seismologists attributed the earthquake to normal faulting, indicating east-west extension of the Tibetan Plateau. The event occurred within the Qiangtang Block, an area that has experienced five earthquakes of magnitude 7.0 or higher since 1900. The largest was a magnitude 7.5 quake in November 1997. Earthquakes are frequent across western China, including recent tremors in Sichuan.
Tibet also experienced a deadly magnitude 7.1 earthquake in Dingri County in January 2025, which resulted in 126 fatalities. In South Asia, a magnitude 5.6 earthquake hit Pakistan’s Balochistan province earlier in October. Officials in Nagqu continue to assess damage and coordinate relief efforts for those affected. Casualty numbers may change as rescue operations proceed.