OMM Newsroom
A magnitude-7 earthquake struck Naqu city in northern Tibet, killing 16 people and injuring 65, according to local authorities. AnewZ reported that it was the strongest earthquake recorded in China since January 2024.
More than 300 police officers, including traffic and local police, were sent to the epicenter to assist with rescue and emergency response, Naqu police said. Officers inspected damaged homes and helped residents move to safe areas.
More than 12,000 people were relocated to safe areas, China’s state news agency Xinhua reported. Footage shared by local media showed residents leaving their homes and taking shelter outdoors or in cars parked on the streets. One resident said powerful tremors woke them and that their house creaked during the earthquake.
The China Earthquake Networks Center said it recorded 413 aftershocks following the earthquake.
Chinese President Xi Jinping ordered a comprehensive rescue operation and timely medical treatment for the injured to minimize the death toll.
Xi stressed the need to closely monitor seismic and meteorological conditions and to base rescue operations on scientific assessments to prevent secondary disasters. He called for relief supplies to be allocated, affected people to be properly accommodated, and damaged infrastructure to be addressed promptly.
A magnitude-7.1 earthquake struck Yushu city in neighboring Qinghai province in 2010, killing at least 2,698 people and leaving about 300 missing.
