Magnitude 7 Earthquake in Northern Tibet Kills at Least 16 and Collapses Hundreds of Homes

A magnitude 7 earthquake struck China's Tibet region on Thursday evening, killing at least 16 people and injuring 46 others, according to official media. The worst damage was reported around the northern regional city of Nagqu, where hundreds of homes collapsed.

The Nagqu media office, citing city government officials, said at least 339 homes and 20 livestock sheds had fallen. Of those hurt, 11 people were in serious condition, while the remaining 35 had minor injuries. Search and rescue operations were still under way.

More than 1,600 people from the local county have been sent to take part in the rescue effort. Relief supplies have also reached the region, including 1,000 prefabricated housing units, roughly 3,000 tents and folding beds, flashlights and winter clothing.

Xinhua, China's official news agency, reported on Friday that communication was down in part of the region. Local railway authorities took emergency action to stop trains from passing through the affected area.

The quake also set off rockfalls, prompting officials to close a section of National Highway 317. Only emergency, rescue and official support vehicles are being allowed through while crews clear debris, Xinhua said.

Conditions may complicate the work ahead. Xinhua said intermittent snow is expected across the quake zone over the next three days.

China's national broadcaster CCTV described the event as the biggest earthquake in the region in the past five years.

The U.S. Geological Survey said the quake hit at 10:33 p.m. local time at a depth of 18 kilometres. Its epicentre was 191 kilometres east-northeast of Nagqu, in a sparsely populated, high-altitude part of northern Tibet. Nagqu itself lies more than 300 kilometres north of the Tibetan capital, Lhasa.