No fewer than 16 people have been killed and 32 others injured after a powerful 7.0-magnitude earthquake struck China’s remote Tibet region, according to state news agency Xinhua.
The earthquake struck at 10:33 p.m. on Thursday, with its epicentre in Maru Township, Baqen County, in a mountainous area, the United States Geological Survey said.
More than 300 houses collapsed in the quake, while officials continued to assess the extent of the damage as emergency and relief operations got underway.
The epicentre was located about 190 kilometres east-northeast of Nagqu and 390 kilometres northeast of Lhasa, the regional capital.
Xinhua quoted Maru Township Deputy Head Lhawang Dagpo as saying the tremor was strongly felt at the township office, where cracks developed in the walls.
Power and telecommunications services were also disrupted in the Baqen County seat, according to the state news agency.
China is prone to earthquakes, particularly in mountainous and seismically active regions.
In January 2025, at least 126 people were killed after a powerful earthquake struck Tingri County in Tibet.
