At least 16 people have been killed and 32 others injured after a powerful 7.0-magnitude earthquake struck a remote area of Tibet in China, according to state news agency Xinhua, citing local authorities.
The earthquake struck at 10.33 p.m. local time on Thursday (October 22), causing more than 300 houses to collapse. Officials were assessing the extent of the damage as disaster relief operations continued, Xinhua reported.
According to the United States Geological Survey (USGS), the epicentre was located in a mountainous area approximately 190 kilometres east-northeast of Nagqu and 390 kilometres northeast of the regional capital, Lhasa. The earthquake occurred at a shallow depth of 10 kilometres.
Authorities activated a Level II emergency response to address the earthquake disaster, Xinhua said.
The epicentre was identified in Maru township in Baqen county. Township Deputy Head Lhawang Dagpo said the tremor was strongly felt at the township office, where cracks appeared in the walls.
Power and telecommunications services were also disrupted in the county seat, according to the state news agency.
Earthquakes are relatively common in China. In January 2025, at least 126 people were killed when a powerful earthquake struck the rural Tingri county in Tibet.
