Rescue teams searched for survivors in China’s Tibet region on Friday after a magnitude 7 quake killed at least 16 and injured 65. At least hundreds of homes were damaged in the high-altitude region.
The quake occurred at about 10:33 p.m. local time Thursday in Nagqu, in northern Tibet, according to Chinese authorities. Several homes and 20 livestock sheds were destroyed, the Nagqu media office said.
More than 12,000 have been moved to safety, state media said. Policemen, firemen and other emergency workers were dispatched to inspect the damage, hunt for survivors and help people.
The quake also caused rockfalls, cutting off parts of the national highway 317, while train officials suspended service on the rail link through the quake zone as a precaution, the state news agency Xinhua said.
A total of 413 aftershocks were registered by the China Earthquake Networks Centre. Several locations were isolated with communication lines cut off, hampering rescue operations.
The quake’s epicentre was registered by the US Geological Survey as about 191 kilometres east-north-east of Nagqu, at a depth of 18 kilometres.
The quake was the most powerful to hit China since January 2024, Reuters reports. An operation is underway and the authorities have provided emergency aid, such as temporary accommodation, tents, blankets and winter clothing.
