Beijing/Lhasa: At least 16 people were killed and 65 others injured after a magnitude seven earthquake struck Bqen country of Nagqu city in China’s Tibet Autonomous Region, the city’s earthquake relief headquarters said.
The powerful earthquake that struck around 10:33 pm on Thursday prompted the regional disaster prevention, reduction and relief committee to activate a Level III emergency response for natural disaster relief on Friday.
Eleven of the injured were in serious condition, while others sustained minor injuries. More than 330 houses collapsed or were damaged.
Rescue teams on the Tibetan plateau are highly experienced as this region is prone to earthquakes.
It is also a region that presents some of the most challenging rescue conditions.
The altitude around the epicentre is around 4,800 metres. This is high mountain terrain with scattered villages in steep valleys where temperatures overnight were below freezing.
The region’s rescue teams are used to training together and have technical knowledge of mountain terrain – they have shown an ability to mobilise quickly.
In January 2025, after a powerful earthquake struck the Shigatse region of Tibet, military personnel, firefighters, police and specialist rescue teams were in the area within hours.
The Chinese military also have drones to help survey the area.
