In brief
On Thursday night a powerful 7‑magnitude earthquake struck Baqên County in Nagqu, Tibet, killing at least 16 people and leaving 32 wounded. The quake collapsed over 300 homes and severed power in the area, while rockslides shut roads, hampering rescue efforts. Local authorities have declared a state of emergency and mobilised emergency teams amid difficult terrain and ongoing access issues. The disaster follows a devastating flood and landslide event in the region that claimed over 1,400 lives two months earlier.
A magnitude‑seven earthquake has struck the mountainous region of Tibet, killing at least 16 people, Chinese state media reports say.
The epicentre was in Baqên County in the Nagqu region, about 400km northeast of Tibet’s capital, Lhasa. The local emergency management bureau informed Xinhua of the collapse on Thursday night.
Authorities have declared an emergency, dispatching rescue teams to the affected area. So far, 32 other people have been reported injured.
Over 300 homes collapsed, and power has largely been cut in the region. Rockfall has forced road closures, making it difficult for crews to reach the hardest‑hit villages.
Earlier this year, Tibet and neighboring Nepal were devastated by floods and landslides triggered by a glacier collapse, which killed more than 1,400 people and left hundreds still missing.
Image: Firefighters help residents injured by the quake in Baqên, Tibet.
