Nagqu Authorities Report 339 Homes Destroyed After Magnitude 7 Tremor

A magnitude 7 earthquake struck northern Tibet on Thursday evening, killing at least 16 people and injuring 46 others. The seismic event, which registered at a depth of 18 kilometers, caused extensive structural damage across the Nagqu region. Local officials confirmed that the epicenter was located 191 kilometers east-northeast of the city of Nagqu.

The Nagqu media office stated that at least 339 homes and 20 livestock sheds collapsed in the immediate aftermath. Of the 46 individuals injured, 11 sustained serious wounds while the remaining 35 suffered minor injuries. More than 1,600 personnel from the local county have been assigned to search and rescue operations. Relief logistics have also been mobilized, delivering 1,000 prefabricated housing units, approximately 3,000 tents, folding beds, flashlights, and winter clothing to the affected area.

Infrastructure disruptions continue to hamper access to the zone. Xinhua reported that communication lines remain down in parts of the region. Railway authorities halted train traffic through the affected sector as a precaution. Officials closed a section of National Highway 317 following rockfalls, restricting passage to emergency and support vehicles while crews clear debris. CCTV identified this as the largest earthquake to hit the area in the past five years.

Weather forecasts indicate intermittent snow across the quake zone over the next three days. The U.S. Geological Survey recorded the event at 10:33 p.m. local time. Nagqu is situated more than 300 kilometers north of Lhasa, the Tibetan capital. Rescue efforts remain active as teams work to assess the full extent of the damage in the sparsely populated, high-altitude terrain.