Magnitude 7 Earthquake Hits Tibet: 18 Dead, Over 300 Houses Collapse

A powerful magnitude-7.0 earthquake struck China’s remote Tibet region on Thursday, killing at least 18 people and injuring dozens. The earthquake shook a mountainous area in northern Tibet, causing widespread damage to residential buildings and prompting emergency rescue operations.

The United States Geological Survey (USGS) reported that the earthquake struck at 10:33 pm local time, with its epicentre approximately 190 kilometres east-northeast of Nagqu and 390 kilometres northeast of Lhasa. The agency estimated the earthquake’s depth at around 10 kilometres beneath the Earth’s surface, increasing concerns about its destructive potential. China Central Television (CCTV), citing local officials, reported that the earthquake injured 46 people, including 11 who suffered serious injuries. Initial inspections revealed that the earthquake had collapsed or damaged 339 houses across the affected areas.

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Rescue Efforts Continue Amid Repeated Disasters in Tibet

Authorities deployed more than 300 police officers to assist rescue teams, support affected residents, and coordinate emergency operations. Videos shared online showed workers rushing out of restaurants as the ground shook violently, while objects fell from supermarket shelves during the tremors. Emergency personnel continued assessing structural damage and responding to residents’ immediate needs. The latest disaster follows another devastating earthquake that struck Tibet’s rural Tingri county in January 2025, killing at least 126 people. The repeated earthquakes highlight the region’s vulnerability to powerful seismic activity and the difficulties emergency teams face when reaching remote mountain communities.

Meanwhile, deadly flash floods struck the Nepal-Tibet border region in August, killing more than 1,400 people. The floods originated near the border and swept through communities across northern and central Nepal, destroying homes and buildings. These disasters have intensified concerns about emergency preparedness and the safety of vulnerable mountain populations. Separately, India’s National Centre for Seismology (NCS) reported another earthquake measuring magnitude 5.2 in China at 8:29 pm IST. The earthquake occurred approximately 505 kilometres north-northwest of Pangin in Arunachal Pradesh, at a depth of 15 kilometres beneath the Earth’s surface.

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