Nagqu loses 339 homes as 1,600 workers begin rescue after 7.0 quake

At least 16 people were killed and 54 injured when a magnitude-7 earthquake struck northern Tibet on Thursday night. The tremor hit at 10:33 pm local time, sending shockwaves through the high-altitude terrain near Nagqu. Chinese official media confirmed the casualty figures as search operations remained active through Friday.

The Nagqu media office reported that 339 homes and 20 livestock sheds collapsed in and around the city. CCTV labeled the event the largest seismic event in the region in five years. The US Geological Survey placed the epicenter 119 miles east-northeast of Nagqu, at a depth of 11 miles. The agency recorded at least seven aftershocks ranging from magnitude 4.3 to 5.2 in the following hours.

Local authorities mobilized more than 1,600 personnel from the county to assist with rescue efforts. Xinhua reported that over 300 police officers and nearly 350 fire and rescue workers joined the operation. Emergency supplies began arriving at the site, including 1,000 prefabricated housing units, 3,000 tents, folding beds, and winter clothing.

Logistical challenges compounded the recovery work. Rockfalls forced the closure of a section of national highway 317, restricting access to emergency and support vehicles only. Local railway authorities halted all trains passing through the region, and communications remained down in parts of the affected area. Forecasts called for intermittent snow over the next three days, adding urgency to the deployment of winter gear.

President Xi Jinping called for an all-out effort in the rescue and medical relief work. The city of Nagqu sits more than 185 miles north of Lhasa. The region experiences frequent seismic activity, including a 126-death earthquake in Tingri county in January 2025 and a 134-death quake in Gansu province in December 2023.