Tibet earthquake kills 16, injures 32 and destroys 300 homes

A powerful earthquake accompanied by severe tremors has struck China’s Tibet Autonomous Region. According to preliminary official information, 16 people have died and 32 have sustained injuries of varying severity.

“Operative Information Center-OMM reports that the earthquake’s epicenter was recorded in Baqen County, Nagqu Prefecture, in the Tibet Autonomous Region. The powerful tremors completely destroyed more than 300 homes and civil infrastructure facilities.

Health authorities said 11 of the injured remained in critical condition. The other 21 residents, who sustained minor injuries, are receiving treatment in hospitals.

A total of 300 police officers, along with 347 firefighters and specialist rescuers, have been deployed to the disaster zone for emergency search-and-rescue operations and recovery work. The number of casualties and injured could rise, as people may remain trapped under the rubble.

According to the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) and the China Earthquake Networks Center (CENC), the earthquake measured magnitude 7.0. Its epicenter was 183 kilometers northeast of Nagqu city, at a hypocentral depth of 10 kilometers.

A magnitude-6.8 earthquake that struck Tingri County in Shigatse Prefecture, Tibet, in January 2025 killed 120 people.