BEIJING: A powerful 7.0-magnitude earthquake struck a mountainous region in northern Tibet late Thursday night, killing at least 16 people and leaving more than 54 others seriously injured. Hundreds of homes were damaged or destroyed, prompting authorities to launch extensive rescue and relief operations.
Officials said at least 339 houses and 20 livestock sheds collapsed in the quake. More than 1,600 rescue personnel, police officers and firefighters have been deployed to the affected area to search for survivors trapped beneath the debris and provide emergency assistance.
Authorities have dispatched 1,000 temporary housing units, around 3,000 tents, folding beds, flashlights and winter clothing to help those displaced by the disaster.
According to the United States Geological Survey (USGS), the earthquake struck at 10.33 pm local time on Thursday. Its epicentre was located approximately 191 km east-northeast of Nagqu city in a sparsely populated, high-altitude region of northern Tibet, at a depth of around 18 km.
The USGS also recorded at least seven aftershocks measuring between 4.3 and 5.2 in magnitude. These tremors occurred at depths of approximately 10 km.
China’s official news agency Xinhua reported that telecommunications services had been disrupted in parts of the affected region. Railway authorities temporarily suspended train services through the earthquake-hit area as a precautionary measure.
Rockfalls triggered by the earthquake also forced the closure of a section of National Highway 317. Clearance operations are underway, with access restricted to emergency services, rescue teams and authorised relief vehicles.
Snowfall forecast raises concerns
The situation has become more challenging with forecasts of intermittent snowfall over the next three days. Freezing temperatures and adverse weather conditions could hamper rescue efforts and worsen the plight of people left homeless by the disaster.
Chinese President Xi Jinping has directed officials to make every possible effort to rescue those affected, provide medical assistance to the injured and ensure adequate relief supplies reach the affected communities.
Tremors were also reported in Lhasa, the capital of Tibet, located around 300 km from the earthquake zone.
China’s state broadcaster CCTV described the quake as the strongest to hit the region in the past five years. Rescue operations and emergency relief efforts remain underway as authorities assess the full extent of the damage.
