Tibet Quake Kills 16 as Snow Threatens Rescue Efforts

A magnitude 7 earthquake struck northern China on Thursday evening, killing at least 16 people and injuring 46 others.

The US Geological Survey recorded the tremor at 10:33 p.m. local time with a depth of 18 kilometers. The epicenter sat 191 kilometers east-northeast of the city of Nagqu, in a high-altitude area of Tibet. CCTV described the event as the region's strongest seismic activity in five years.

Local authorities in Nagqu reported that 339 homes and 20 livestock sheds collapsed. Of the 46 injured, 11 were in serious condition while 35 suffered minor wounds. The Nagqu media office said more than 1,600 workers from the local county joined the search and rescue operations.

Logistical challenges emerged immediately after the quake. Local railway authorities halted train services in the affected zone, and officials closed a section of National Highway 317 due to rockfalls. Xinhua reported that only emergency and official vehicles could pass while crews cleared debris. Communication lines remained down in parts of the region.

Relief supplies arrived at the site, including 1,000 prefabricated housing units, 3,000 tents, folding beds, flashlights, and winter clothing. Forecasters predict intermittent snow across the zone for the next three days, which may slow recovery work.

Nagqu is situated more than 300 kilometers north of Lhasa, the capital of the Tibetan region.