Powerful earthquake in China's Tibet collapses hundreds of homes and kills at least 16 people

A magnitude 7 earthquake struck Nagqu in northern Tibet on Thursday evening, killing at least 16 people, injuring 54 and collapsing hundreds of homes. Search and rescue efforts continued as more than 1,600 local residents were deployed and emergency supplies arrived. The quake disrupted communications, halted trains and triggered rockfalls that closed part of National Highway 317.

The Nagqu media office said at least 339 homes and 20 livestock sheds had collapsed.

Supplies delivered to the region included 1,000 prefabricated housing units, around 3,000 tents, folding beds, flashlights and winter clothing.

The U.S. Geological Survey placed the quake at a depth of 18 kilometers, with its epicenter 191 kilometers east-northeast of Nagqu.

Only emergency, rescue and official support vehicles were allowed on the closed section of National Highway 317 while crews cleared debris.

Intermittent snow was expected in the earthquake region over the following three days.

Published Oct 23, 2026 10:27 am KST

Updated Oct 23, 2026 11:01 am KST

In this photo released by Xinhua News Agency, firefighters inspect an earthquake-hit village houses in Baqen County of Nagqu City in China's Tibet autonomous region, Oct. 23. AP-Yonhap

BEIJING — A magnitude 7 earthquake hit China's Tibet region on Thursday evening, killing at least 16 people, injuring 54 and collapsing hundreds of homes in the northern regional city of Nagqu, official media said.

Search and rescue efforts continued following the collapse of at least 339 homes and 20 livestock sheds, the Nagqu media office said, citing city government officials.

More than 1,600 people from the local county were deployed for rescue efforts. Supplies including 1,000 prefabricated housing units, around 3,000 tents and folding beds, as well as flashlights and winter clothing arrived in the region.

China’s official news agency Xinhua said on Friday that communication in part of the region has been down. Local railway authorities have taken emergency actions to halt trains passing through the region.

The earthquake also caused rockfalls that have forced local authorities to close a section of National Highway 317, allowing only emergency, rescue and official support vehicles through as crews worked to clear debris, according to Xinhua.

Intermittent snows are expected in the earthquake region over the next three days, Xinhua said.

It was the biggest earthquake in the region in the last five years, China's national broadcaster CCTV said.

The U.S. Geological Survey said the quake occurred at 10:33 p.m. local time, with its epicenter 191 kilometers (119 miles) east-northeast of Nagqu, in a sparsely populated, high-altitude area of northern Tibet. It put the earthquake’s depth at 18 kilometers (11 miles).

Nagqu is more than 300 kilometers (186 miles) north of Tibet’s capital, Lhasa.

周四晚间，西藏北部那曲发生7级地震，造成至少16人死亡，54人受伤，数百间房屋倒塌。搜救工作仍在继续，超过1600名当地居民被派往灾区，紧急物资也已抵达。地震导致通讯中断，列车停运，并引发山体滑坡，造成317国道部分路段封闭。

那格库媒体办公室称，至少有 339 间房屋和 20 个牲畜棚倒塌。

运往该地区的物资包括 1000 套预制房屋、约 3000 顶帐篷、折叠床、手电筒和冬季服装。

美国地质调查局将此次地震震源深度确定为 18 公里，震中位于那曲东北偏东 191 公里处。

在工作人员清理道路障碍物期间，只有紧急救援车辆和官方支援车辆才能通行封闭的 317 号国道路段。

预计地震地区未来三天将出现间歇性降雪。

发布于2026年10月23日上午10:27（韩国标准时间）

更新于2026年10月23日上午11:01（韩国标准时间）

新华社发布的这张照片显示，10月23日，消防员在中国西藏自治区那曲市巴勤县一个地震灾区检查房屋。美联社-韩联社

北京——官方媒体称，周四晚间，中国西藏地区发生7级地震，造成至少16人死亡，54人受伤，北部地区城市那曲数百栋房屋倒塌。

据那格库媒体办公室援引市政府官员的话报道，至少有 339 间房屋和 20 个牲畜棚倒塌，搜救工作仍在继续。

当地县派出1600多人参与救援工作。包括1000套预制房屋、约3000顶帐篷和折叠床，以及手电筒和冬季衣物在内的物资已运抵该地区。

中国官方通讯社新华社周五报道称，该地区部分地区的通讯中断。当地铁路部​​门已采取紧急措施，暂停途经该地区的列车运行。

据新华社报道，地震还引发了落石，迫使当地政府关闭了317号国道的部分路段，只允许紧急救援车辆和官方支援车辆通行，以便工作人员清理瓦砾。

新华社报道称，未来三天地震地区将出现间歇性降雪。

中国中央电视台报道称，这是该地区近五年来发生的最大地震。

美国地质调查局称，地震发生在当地时间晚上10点33分，震中位于西藏北部人口稀少的高海拔地区，那曲东北偏东191公里（119英里）处。地震深度为18公里（11英里）。

那曲位于西藏首府拉萨以北 300 多公里（186 英里）处。