Tibet Earthquake Kills 16, Injures Dozens as China Launches Rescue Operation

At least 16 people have been killed and dozens injured after a 7.0-magnitude earthquake struck Tibet, China, prompting authorities to launch an emergency rescue operation.

The earthquake struck on Thursday evening, collapsing more than 300 houses and leaving residents afraid to return to their homes, according to reports by Chinese state media.

Footage broadcast by state television showed rescue workers using flashlights to search through damaged buildings and collapsed structures. Other images captured people fleeing restaurants as the tremor shook buildings and items fell from supermarket shelves.

Residents described scenes of panic as the earthquake struck. One woman said her family had just gone to bed when their home began shaking, forcing them to rush outside without taking time to dress.

She said residents were afraid to return to their homes, with some setting up tents along roadsides while others spent the night in their vehicles.

A man who spoke to the Beijing News also described the tremor as extremely powerful, saying the shaking caused his home to creak and rattle. He said he planned to sleep in his car in an open area because he feared returning indoors.

Chinese President Xi Jinping ordered an all-out rescue effort, calling for emergency teams to search for survivors, provide medical treatment to the injured and minimise further casualties.

Xi also directed authorities to provide assistance to affected residents and ensure that rescue equipment reached the disaster area promptly. He described the earthquake as a serious incident that occurred in a high-altitude location during cold weather.

According to the United States Geological Survey, the epicentre was in a mountainous area about 190 kilometres east-northeast of Nagqu and approximately 390 kilometres northeast of Tibet’s regional capital, Lhasa. The earthquake struck at a depth of about 10 kilometres.

The tremor also damaged infrastructure, with power and telecommunications services disrupted in the county seat. Local authorities mobilised emergency personnel, while fire and rescue teams deployed vehicles and staff to support relief operations.

Chinese state media reported that more than 1,600 people had been mobilised for relief efforts in Baqing County. Emergency supplies delivered to the affected area included 1,000 prefabricated houses, 3,239 tents, four generators and 1,000 flashlights.

Access to Tibet remains restricted for foreign journalists, meaning Chinese authorities and state media have been the primary sources of information about the disaster.

The earthquake adds to a series of deadly seismic events in China in recent years. A quake in Tibet’s Tingri County killed at least 126 people in January 2025, while an earthquake in Gansu Province in December 2023 claimed at least 148 lives, according to state media.

A devastating earthquake in Sichuan Province in 2008 left about 90,000 people dead or missing, making it one of the country’s deadliest natural disasters in recent decades.