A magnitude 7.0 earthquake struck northern Tibet late Thursday, killing at least 16 people and destroying more than 300 homes, according to Chinese state media and local officials. The quake, which occurred at 10:33 p.m. local time, had its epicenter 119 miles east-northeast of Nagqu, a sparsely populated, high-altitude region. The United States Geological Survey (USGS) recorded the quake at a depth of 11 miles, while China’s Earthquake Networks Center reported a depth of 6.2 miles.
Rescue and assessment efforts are underway as authorities confirm the damage and casualties. The tremor was felt across the region, including in Nagqu County, where most of the destruction occurred. Nagqu lies more than 186 miles north of Lhasa, Tibet’s capital.
The earthquake follows devastating flash flooding in late June that killed at least 43 people in Tibet and left 519 missing, while neighboring Nepal reported 1,455 deaths and 5,285 missing. Officials attributed the flooding to a glacier collapse, raising concerns about compounding natural disasters in the region.
Emergency response teams have begun assessing structural damage and providing aid to affected communities. The China Earthquake Networks Center described the quake as the largest in the region in five years, underscoring the severity of the event. Further updates on casualties and recovery efforts are expected as assessments continue.
The USGS and Chinese authorities have not yet issued revised damage estimates, but local reports indicate significant infrastructure impacts. The region’s remote location and high altitude may complicate relief operations, officials noted. The disaster comes amid heightened scrutiny of disaster preparedness in the Himalayan region following the recent floods.