Guwahati: A 7.0-magnitude earthquake struck China’s Tibet late Thursday, killing 16 people and injuring 32, after houses collapsed and power and telecommunications services were disrupted, state news agency Xinhua reported, citing local authorities.
The earthquake struck at 10:33 pm local time on October 22, with its epicentre in a mountainous area about 190 kilometres east-northeast of Nagqu and 390 kilometres northeast of the regional capital, Lhasa, according to the US Geological Survey (USGS).
The tremor occurred at a shallow depth of 10 kilometres, the USGS said.
The epicentre is located in Maru township in Baqen county. Township deputy head Lhawang Dagpo told Xinhua that the earthquake was strongly felt at the township office, where cracks appeared in the walls.
Several houses were reported to have collapsed in the affected area, while electricity and telecommunications services were disrupted in the county seat, Xinhua reported.
Authorities activated a Level-II earthquake disaster emergency response, and workers were dispatched to coordinate relief efforts. Local officials were also checking nearby villages to assess the extent of the damage and identify further casualties, the report said.
Earthquakes are relatively common in China. In January 2025, at least 126 people were killed when a powerful earthquake struck rural Tingri county in Tibet.