Earthquake / Tibet Earthquake: 16 Dead, 54 Injured After Magnitude 7 Quake Hits Nagqu

Beijing, Oct 23: A magnitude 7 earthquake struck China's Tibet region on Thursday evening, killing at least 16 people, injuring 54 and collapsing hundreds of homes in the northern regional city of Nagqu, official media reported.

Search and rescue operations continued after at least 339 homes and 20 livestock sheds collapsed, the Nagqu media office said, citing city government officials.

More than 1,600 people from the local county were deployed for rescue operations. Emergency supplies, including 1,000 prefabricated housing units, around 3,000 tents and folding beds, as well as flashlights and winter clothing, arrived in the region.

The US Geological Survey (USGS) said the earthquake occurred at 10:33 pm local time, with its epicentre 191 kilometres (119 miles) east-north-east of Nagqu, in a sparsely populated, high-altitude area of northern Tibet. The quake struck at a depth of 18 kilometres (11 miles).

The US agency recorded at least seven aftershocks measuring between magnitude 4.3 and 5.2, all at a depth of 10 kilometres (6 miles), according to its website.

Communication Disruptions, Railway Services Affected
China's official news agency Xinhua reported on Friday that communication services were disrupted in some areas affected by the earthquake. Local railway authorities also took emergency measures to halt trains passing through the region.

The earthquake triggered rockfalls that forced authorities to close a section of National Highway 317. Only emergency, rescue and official support vehicles were allowed to pass as crews worked to clear the debris, Xinhua reported.

Also Read: 7.0 Magnitude Earthquake Jolts Tibet Weeks After Deadly Flash Floods

Intermittent snowfall is expected in the affected region over the next three days, adding to the challenges facing rescue teams, according to Xinhua.

China's national broadcaster CCTV described it as the biggest earthquake to hit the region in the past five years.

Chinese President Xi Jinping called for all-out efforts to carry out rescue operations and provide medical relief.

Nagqu lies more than 300 kilometres (186 miles) north of Lhasa, the capital of Tibet.