A powerful magnitude-7 earthquake struck northern Tibet late on Thursday, 22 October, killing at least 16 people, injuring dozens and destroying hundreds of homes. Emergency teams have launched extensive search and rescue operations in the remote Himalayan region, where freezing temperatures, damaged infrastructure and continuing aftershocks are complicating relief efforts.
Powerful earthquake hits northern Tibet The earthquake struck at approximately 10.33pm local time, with its epicentre near Nagqu, a sparsely populated, high-altitude region north of the Tibetan capital, Lhasa.
The United States Geological Survey measured the earthquake at a depth of 18 kilometres, while China’s Earthquake Networks Centre reported a shallower depth of approximately 10 kilometres.
Local authorities confirmed that at least 339 homes and 20 livestock shelters had collapsed, leaving numerous families without accommodation.
Initial reports placed the number of injured at 32, but subsequent government updates raised the figure to 65. The confirmed death toll remained at 16.
Thousands evacuated as rescue operations intensify More than 1,600 emergency personnel have been mobilised to assist affected communities, including police officers, firefighters and specialist rescue teams.
Chinese state media reported that more than 12,000 people had been relocated to safer locations.
Emergency supplies, including approximately 3,000 tents, 1,000 prefabricated housing units, folding beds, flashlights and winter clothing, have been dispatched to the disaster zone.
Rescue workers are searching damaged buildings and assisting residents whose homes have become unsafe.
Aftershocks raise further concerns The initial earthquake was followed by continuing seismic activity across northern Tibet.
Early monitoring identified at least seven significant aftershocks, while the China Earthquake Networks Centre subsequently reported hundreds of smaller tremors.
The earthquake also disrupted communications and transport infrastructure, with rockfalls blocking sections of roads and railway services affected.
The region’s extreme elevation, approaching 5,000 metres near the epicentre, presents additional challenges for emergency operations.
A region vulnerable to devastating earthquakes Tibet lies within one of the world’s most seismically active regions, where the Indian and Eurasian tectonic plates continue to collide.
In January 2025, an earthquake in Tibet’s Tingri county killed at least 126 people and destroyed numerous buildings.
A devastating magnitude-7.1 earthquake also struck neighbouring Qinghai province in 2010, killing more than 2,600 people.
Authorities focus on shelter and recovery Chinese President Xi Jinping has called for maximum efforts to rescue survivors and provide assistance to affected communities.
With intermittent snowfall forecast and temperatures expected to remain low, authorities are prioritising emergency accommodation, medical treatment and access to isolated settlements.
The full extent of the destruction remains under assessment, and officials have warned that casualty figures could change as rescue teams reach remote villages.
NewsHub Finance | World News | 23 October 2026
A powerful magnitude-7 earthquake struck northern Tibet late on Thursday, 22 October, killing at least 16 people, injuring dozens and destroying hundreds of homes. Emergency teams have launched extensive search and rescue operations in the remote Himalayan region, where freezing temperatures, damaged infrastructure and continuing aftershocks are complicating relief efforts.
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