The magnitude 7.0 earthquake hit Baqen County in Nagqu, in the Xizang Autonomous Region, at 10.33pm on Thursday. Local authorities said on Friday that the number of injured had risen to 65, while the confirmed death toll remained at 16. Rescue teams were searching damaged settlements and moving residents to safer locations.
Xi instructed emergency services and local authorities to make every effort to locate missing people, provide prompt medical care and minimise further casualties. His intervention came as officials confronted extensive damage to housing, disrupted communications and difficult conditions across the remote Himalayan plateau.
More than 12,000 people had been relocated to safety, while rescue personnel continued checking villages and households for anyone trapped beneath collapsed buildings. The authorities mobilised thousands of responders from surrounding counties, including police officers, firefighters and emergency workers, to support the operation.
Nagqu’s earthquake relief headquarters said hundreds of homes had collapsed or sustained damage. An earlier assessment identified 339 affected houses and damage to 20 livestock shelters. Officials were still examining the full extent of destruction, with access to some settlements complicated by debris and damaged transport links.
The earthquake struck near Maru Township, roughly 70 kilometres from the Baqen county seat. The China Earthquake Networks Center recorded a depth of 10 kilometres, while the United States Geological Survey estimated 18 kilometres. Such differences can arise from the agencies’ separate measurement methods and seismic models.
Eleven injured people were initially classified as seriously hurt. Authorities had not immediately provided a revised breakdown of injury severity alongside the higher overall figure. Medical teams were treating casualties as emergency workers assessed buildings and arranged accommodation for displaced families.
The regional authorities activated a Level-II earthquake emergency response, the second-highest level in the four-tier system. The State Council earthquake relief headquarters and the Ministry of Emergency Management also activated a national Level-IV response and dispatched personnel to coordinate assistance.
Emergency deliveries included prefabricated accommodation, thousands of tents, folding beds, quilts, heating equipment and winter clothing. Supplies began reaching affected communities overnight, with relief agencies prioritising shelter for residents unable to return to damaged or potentially unsafe homes.
Rescue work was made harder by the altitude and cold. The area surrounding the epicentre lies approximately 4,800 metres above sea level, where thin air, freezing temperatures and limited road access can slow searches and the movement of heavy equipment. Weather forecasts indicated intermittent snowfall over the following three days.
Police in Nagqu said more than 300 officers had been deployed to inspect damaged homes, assist evacuations and maintain access for emergency vehicles. The regional fire and rescue service mobilised 347 personnel, dozens of vehicles and search dogs. Firefighters pulled one trapped resident alive from a collapsed building in Maru Township early on Friday.
Rockfalls forced restrictions on a section of National Highway 317, with ordinary traffic barred from affected stretches while emergency access was maintained. Railway operators temporarily halted services on parts of the Qinghai-Xizang line to inspect tracks and equipment, delaying trains and disrupting travel through the region.
Power supplies and telecommunications were interrupted in some communities, complicating initial assessments and contact with residents. Emergency teams were working to establish conditions in outlying settlements and identify households requiring evacuation, medical attention or immediate shelter.
The main tremor was followed by numerous aftershocks. The China Earthquake Networks Center recorded hundreds of subsequent seismic events, heightening concerns about weakened structures and the safety of rescuers entering damaged buildings. Authorities urged residents to remain clear of unsafe properties as inspections continued.
Shaking was felt beyond Baqen, including in other parts of Nagqu and neighbouring areas of the plateau. Residents in several communities moved into open spaces after the earthquake, while local officials inspected schools, residential buildings and other structures for visible damage.
The epicentre was approximately 400 kilometres from Lhasa, the regional capital. Nagqu covers a vast, sparsely populated area of northern Tibet, and the scattered location of settlements has required rescue teams to travel considerable distances between affected communities. Weather conditions and road restrictions remained important considerations for personnel transporting relief supplies and conducting inspections across isolated villages, where the authorities were continuing to assess damage to homes and essential infrastructure.
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