16 Dead and 339 Homes Destroyed After Major Quake in Nagqu

A magnitude 7 earthquake struck northern Tibet on Thursday evening, killing at least 16 people and injuring 46 others. The Nagqu media office, citing city government officials, reported that 339 homes and 20 livestock sheds collapsed in the area surrounding the regional city of Nagqu. Among the injured, 11 people are in serious condition, while the other 35 sustained minor injuries. Search and rescue operations are currently ongoing.

Local authorities have deployed more than 1,600 workers from the county to assist with the rescue effort. Relief supplies have arrived in the region, including 1,000 prefabricated housing units, approximately 3,000 tents and folding beds, flashlights, and winter clothing. These items are intended to support displaced residents while permanent structures are assessed.

Infrastructure disruptions have complicated the response. Xinhua, China's official news agency, reported that communication lines are down in parts of the affected region. Local railway authorities halted train traffic through the area as a precaution. Officials also closed a section of National Highway 317 after the quake triggered rockfalls. Only emergency, rescue, and official support vehicles are permitted to pass while crews clear the debris.

Weather conditions are expected to hinder progress over the next three days. Xinhua stated that intermittent snow is forecast across the quake zone. China's national broadcaster CCTV described the event as the largest earthquake in the region in the past five years.

The U.S. Geological Survey recorded the quake at 10:33 p.m. local time. The event occurred at a depth of 18 kilometres. The epicenter was located 191 kilometres east-northeast of Nagqu, in a sparsely populated, high-altitude section of northern Tibet. Nagqu is situated more than 300 kilometres north of Lhasa, the capital of the Tibetan region.