In brief
A 7.0‑strength earthquake struck Baqên County in Tibet’s Nagqu region late Thursday, registering 16 deaths and 32 injuries. Rescue teams face muddy, rock‑blocked roads as more than 300 homes collapse. Power outages and road closures hamper relief efforts in the rugged terrain. The disaster follows recent floods and landslides that have already claimed over 1,400 lives in the broader region.
A magnitude 7.0 earthquake hit the mountainous region of BaqÊn County in Tibet’s Nagqu province on Thursday night, killing at least 16 people and injuring 32 more, according to Chinese state media.
The epicentre lies 400 kilometres northeast of Lhasa, the capital of the Tibet Autonomous Region. Authorities have declared a regional emergency and dispatched rescue crews to the shattered villages where dozens of homes have collapsed and power has largely gone out.
Rockfall has closed many roads, making it difficult for teams to reach affected communities. Firefighters and residents are seen working to extricate those trapped under rubble, as emergency services battle a landscape riddled with debris.
The quake adds to a series of natural disasters that have struck Tibet and neighbouring Nepal in recent weeks. Less than two months ago, a glacier collapse released a tsunami of floodwater and mud that killed over 1,400 people and left many more missing.
