A powerful 7.0 magnitude earthquake struck the remote northern mountainous region of China’s Tibet Autonomous Region, killing at least 18 people. The intense seismic activity occurred on Thursday (October 22) at 10:33 PM local time.
The shallow tremor caused nearly 350 homes and buildings to partially or completely collapse. Rescue authorities fear the death toll could rise further as search and rescue teams work to locate individuals trapped beneath the rubble.
The earthquake’s epicenter was located in Nagqu (Nagchu) in northern Tibet, at a shallow depth of approximately 10 kilometers. The remote region sits at an altitude of roughly 4,864 meters above sea level and is located about 400 kilometers from Tibet’s capital, Lhasa.
Severe night shaking leveled at least 350 residential structures across rural communities in and around Nagqu. Seismologists confirm this is the most powerful earthquake to hit China since January 2024.
Chinese President Xi Jinping ordered an immediate, all-out rescue operation in the affected high-altitude zone. Units from the People’s Liberation Army (PLA), disaster management agencies, and emergency response crews were deployed to Nagqu to expedite search-and-rescue efforts.
