In the dead of night, a magnitude seven earthquake struck a mountainous region in Tibet, plunging communities into darkness and leaving at least 16 people dead. According to Chinese state media reports cited by the BBC, the disaster has injured 32 others, collapsed 339 homes, and cut off power in the affected area.
The earthquake's centre hit Baqên County in the Nagqu region on Thursday night, according to Xinhua and the local emergency management bureau, as reported by the BBC. Authorities have declared an emergency and deployed rescue teams to the area, located 400 kilometres north-east of the regional capital Lhasa. BBC News reported that strong tremors were also felt in the cities of Qamdo and Nyingchi, while rockfall forced road closures that complicated efforts by rescue crews to reach high-altitude locations. Videos on social media showed villagers running into the streets as buildings shook violently, though the BBC noted these recordings have not been independently verified.
Background
According to BBC News, the affected county is situated in what China terms the Tibet Autonomous Region following its annexation in the 1950s. The region is described as one of the most tightly controlled areas in China, where foreign media is restricted and information is heavily censored, leaving Chinese state media as the primary source for updates during disasters.
The BBC also reported that Tibet experienced a 6.2 magnitude earthquake in 2023 in nearby Gansu province, which killed more than 120 people. Furthermore, less than two months ago, Tibet and Nepal suffered massive floods and landslides caused by a glacier collapse, resulting in at least 1,400 deaths and leaving hundreds missing, according to the BBC.
Why it matters
For readers observing international events, natural disasters of this magnitude in mountainous terrain highlight the severe vulnerabilities communities face in high-altitude environments. The disruptions to infrastructure, including collapsed homes and blocked roads from rockfall, underscore the universal challenges emergency responders encounter when accessing isolated disaster zones.