A magnitude 7 earthquake struck Tibet, killing at least 16 people, injuring 54 and causing widespread damage in the northern city of Nagqu, according to official media reports.
Search and rescue operations were underway after at least 339 homes and 20 livestock sheds collapsed, the Nagqu media office said, citing city government officials.
According to the US Geological Survey, the earthquake occurred at 10.33 pm local time, with its epicentre located about 191 km east-northeast of Nagqu in a sparsely populated, high-altitude area. The agency estimated the earthquake’s depth at 18 km. Nagqu is situated more than 300 km north of Lhasa, Tibet’s capital.
The earthquake also triggered rockfalls, prompting authorities to close a section of National Highway 317. Only emergency, rescue and official support vehicles were permitted to pass while crews worked to clear debris, according to reports by Chinese state news agency Xinhua.
Rescue efforts could face further challenges due to intermittent snowfall forecast in the affected region over the following three days. Communications have also been disrupted in some areas, while local railway authorities introduced emergency measures to halt trains travelling through the affected zone.
Authorities continued rescue and assessment operations as they worked to determine the full extent of the damage and assist affected residents.
