7.0 Magnitude Earthquake Strikes Xizang, At Least 16 Dead, 32 Injured

On Thursday evening, a 7.0-magnitude earthquake struck Baqen County in Xizang Autonomous Region, China, resulting in at least 16 deaths and 32 injuries. Over 300 houses collapsed, and power and communication services were disrupted in the county seat, which is about 70 kilometers from the quake’s epicenter. Further tremors were felt in other parts of Xizang, including Qamdo and Nyingchi. Rescue efforts have been swiftly mobilized, with more than 300 police officers and 347 firefighters and rescue personnel dispatched to the affected areas.

On Thursday evening, a 7.0-magnitude earthquake struck Baqen County in Xizang Autonomous Region, resulting in at least 16 deaths and 32 injuries. Over 300 houses collapsed, and power and communication services were disrupted in the county seat, about 70 kilometers away from the epicenter.

According to Xinhua news agency, as of 2:25am on Friday, 11 of the injured were in serious condition while 21 sustained minor injuries. The office of the State Council earthquake relief headquarters and the Ministry of Emergency Management activated a Level-IV emergency response, while Xizang has activated a Level-II earthquake disaster emergency response. More than 300 police officers have been dispatched to the epicenter for relief work while the regional fire and rescue corps has mobilized 347 personnel to the affected areas.

Fierce tremors were felt in townships along the border between the two counties, with cracks appearing in some houses. However, no building collapses or casualties were immediately reported. This incident has raised concerns about the seismic monitoring and prevention systems in Tibet, particularly in remote areas with limited infrastructure and sparse population.