Tenzin Nyidon
DHARAMSHALA, Oct. 24: A powerful 7.0-magnitude earthquake struck Drachen (Ch. Bachen) County in Nagchu Prefecture, Tibet, at approximately 10:30 AM local time on October 22, 2026.
The Chinese state media initially reported 16 dead and 76 injured. However, the Department of Information and International Relations of the Central Tibetan Administration (CTA) in a press statement issued on Friday reported more than 20 deaths, with the casualty count expected to rise as updates emerge.
Preliminary reports cited by the CTA highlight severe destruction across multiple regions. Zasip Township suffered widespread collapse of infrastructure, while Marru Township recorded at least 10 fatalities in Kamlung Gal village alone. In Gangchen Township, nearly all homes across two villages were reduced to rubble, and stating the full scale of casualties, damage to settlements, and infrastructure losses remains uncertain.
Despite initial grassroots efforts by local Tibetan volunteers to organize aid, reports from the region indicate that Chinese authorities subsequently restricted and barred volunteer groups from entering the disaster zone.
The Cabinet of the CTA expressed deep sorrow, holding special prayer services at the Main Tibetan Temple in Dharamshala for the victims and survivors. The Cabinet raised grave concerns about strict information blockades in affected areas and urged Beijing to publish accurate, comprehensive data on casualties, missing persons, and emergency needs.
Speaking at the 66th founding anniversary of the Upper Tibetan Children’s Village (TCV), the CTA President Penpa Tsering also expressed deep sorrow over the devastating earthquake and voiced strong concern about China’s information blockade, urging authorities to ensure transparency and allow information to flow freely from the affected region.
The CTA Cabinet urged the Chinese government to implement six critical measures, starting with the immediate intensification of search-and-rescue operations alongside the urgent delivery of medical care, shelter, food, winterized clothing, and essential supplies to vulnerable communities.
Alongside physical relief, the Cabinet demanded complete transparency, calling on Beijing to disclose accurate disaster metrics and restore communication infrastructure so affected Tibetans can freely contact their relatives and the outside world. To honor cultural traditions during this period of grief, the statement emphasized the necessity of respecting Tibetan religious customs by permitting families to conduct traditional funeral rites, prayers, and Buddhist ceremonies without state interference.
Furthermore, the Cabinet advocated for the mobilization of local civil society, urging authorities to allow Tibetan individuals, monasteries, and charitable entities to organize and distribute aid independently. To ensure equitable distribution and precise damage assessments, they called on China to grant unhindered access to neutral observers and international humanitarian organizations. The Cabinet pressed for the establishment of transparent humanitarian channels that would enable the CTA, the Tibetan diaspora, and affiliated charitable institutions to send direct support to affected regions.
In a broader appeal to global leaders and international organizations, the Cabinet urged the international community to hold Chinese authorities accountable, advocating for total transparency and unhindered humanitarian entry into the region.
In the evening, local Tibetans in Dharamshala gathered for a candlelight vigil organized by the Tibetan Youth Congress (TYC) to honour the victims of the Nagchu earthquake.
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