At least 18 people were killed and dozens injured after a powerful 7.0-magnitude earthquake struck China’s remote Tibet region on Thursday, damaging hundreds of houses and triggering rescue operations, according to reports.
China Central Television (CCTV), citing local officials, reported that 46 people were injured, including 11 who sustained serious injuries. Initial assessments found that 339 houses had collapsed or suffered damage.
More than 300 police officers were deployed to assist rescue teams as authorities continued assessing the extent of the destruction and searching affected areas.
Videos circulating on social media showed people rushing out of restaurants as the tremors struck, while items fell from supermarket shelves, highlighting the intensity of the earthquake.
According to the US Geological Survey, the earthquake struck at 10:33 p.m. local time (1433 GMT), with its epicenter in a mountainous area about 190 kilometers east-northeast of Nagqu and approximately 390 kilometers northeast of Lhasa, the regional capital.
Another 5.2-Magnitude Earthquake Recorded in China
Separately, a 5.2-magnitude earthquake struck China at 8:29 p.m. IST on Thursday, according to India’s National Center for Seismology (NCS).
The tremor occurred at a depth of 15 kilometers, approximately 505 kilometers north-northwest of Pangin in Arunachal Pradesh.
The latest reports of seismic activity come amid renewed concerns over natural disasters in the Himalayan region, which is vulnerable to earthquakes because of the ongoing collision between the Indian and Eurasian tectonic plates.
Tibet’s History of Deadly Earthquakes
The latest earthquake follows a devastating tremor that struck Tibet’s rural Tingri county in January 2025, killing at least 126 people and destroying homes across affected areas.
The region has also faced severe weather-related disasters in recent months. In August, flash floods and landslides along the Nepal-Tibet border region killed more than 1,400 people, according to the provided reports.
The floods originated near the border and swept through parts of northern and central Nepal, destroying homes and buildings and causing widespread devastation.
The latest earthquake has once again raised concerns about the vulnerability of communities across the mountainous Himalayan region, where difficult terrain can complicate rescue operations and emergency relief efforts.
