At least 16 dead, 32 injured after strong 7-magnitude earthquake strikes Tibet weeks after deadly flash floods

At least 16 people were killed and 32 others injured after a powerful 7.0-magnitude earthquake struck China’s remote Tibet region, state news agency Xinhua reported, citing local authorities. The earthquake struck at 10:33 pm on Thursday (October 22), caused more than 300 houses to collapse. Officials were continuing to assess the damage, while disaster relief operations remained underway, Xinhua said.

According to the US Geological Survey, the earthquake’s epicentre was in a mountainous area approximately 190 kilometres (120 miles) east-northeast of Nagqu and 390 kilometres northeast of Lhasa, the regional capital. The quake occurred at a shallow depth of 10 kilometres, according to the agency. Authorities activated a Level-II earthquake disaster emergency response in the affected area, Xinhua reported.

Also Read: Two BrahMos missiles on Tejas, triple the range and 100% indigenisation, says former BrahMos CEO

The epicentre was located in Maru township in Baqen county. Township deputy head Lhawang Dagpo told Xinhua that the tremor was clearly felt inside the township office, where cracks appeared in the walls. The earthquake also disrupted electricity and telecommunications services in the county seat, according to Xinhua. Earthquakes are relatively common in China, where seismic activity has repeatedly caused casualties and widespread damage. In January 2025, at least 126 people were killed when an earthquake struck the rural Tingri county in Tibet.

The quake has brought back memories of a devastating earthquake in the region in 2010. A magnitude 7.1 tremor struck Yushu, in neighbouring Qinghai province, around 280 km away from the latest epicentre. The disaster killed at least 2,698 people, while nearly 300 others remained missing. The earthquake comes weeks after flash floods and landslides devastated areas along the Nepal-China border on August 26, 2026, leaving more than 1,400 people dead and thousands missing, according to updated figures.