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Magnitude 7 earthquake strikes Tibet

A powerful quake has devastated a mountainous area of the Tibetan plateau, killing at least 16 people and injuring dozens more.

23 October 2026Tagblick Newsdesk

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Archive photo: Magnitude 7 earthquake strikes Tibet — Archive photoPhoto: Bosyantek · Wikimedia Commons · CC BY-SA 3.0

The magnitude 7 earthquake struck Tibet in a mountainous zone of the Tibetan plateau in Baqen district, within Nagqu prefecture. The epicentre occurred 183 kilometres from the city of Nagqu. According to local sources, the quake caused the collapse of more than 300 houses in the affected area.

The death toll stands at least at 16, while the number of injured varies by source: Sky TG24 and other outlets report 65 injured, while other sources indicate 46 or 32 injured. According to China Central Television, 11 people are in serious condition.

Rescue operations continued after the earthquake, with rescue workers and firefighters laboring through the rubble. Nagqu police searched through the debris and helped residents reach safety. According to reports, more than 12,000 people were relocated to secure locations.

The quake caused significant disruptions to essential services in the area. Telecommunications infrastructure and electrical services suffered interruptions as a result of the tremor. Damage to structures was widespread across the affected region.

Chinese President Xi Jinping called for maximum effort in rescue operations and medical assistance to the injured. Authorities immediately launched a comprehensive damage assessment and coordinated emergency response efforts.

Footage captured immediately after the quake showed moments of terror among the population, with shops devastated and merchandise scattered across the ground. Damaged buildings forced thousands of rescue workers to operate through the rubble searching for survivors and providing assistance.

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