Death toll from Tibet earthquake rises to 16 as search continues

The death toll from a powerful earthquake that struck Tibet has climbed to at least 16, Chinese state media reported, as rescue teams continued searching for survivors in the sparsely populated mountain region. The number of injured also rose, reaching 54 according to the latest figures, up from 32 reported a day earlier.

The magnitude 7.0 quake hit Baqing County in the Tibet Autonomous Region shortly after midnight local time on Friday, according to China's earthquake monitoring agency. The tremor struck at a depth of roughly 10 kilometres and was followed by multiple aftershocks felt across the surrounding area.

Footage circulating on Chinese social media, captured by surveillance cameras, showed supermarket shelves swaying and ceiling lamps shaking inside homes as the ground moved. State broadcaster China Central Television also aired video showing diners fleeing a restaurant in panic as the earthquake began.

Rescue workers cited by state television said more than 330 houses and 20 livestock shelters had been damaged in the disaster. The government dispatched 350 firefighting personnel along with 83 vehicles to the affected area to assist with search and recovery operations.

Chinese President Xi Jinping called for search and rescue efforts to be pushed forward with full force, according to the state news agency Xinhua. He said medical treatment should be provided to the injured and that authorities should work to keep the death toll and the number of casualties as low as possible.

The magnitude 7.0 earthquake is the strongest to hit China so far this year. The epicentre lies about 180 kilometres from Nagqu, the nearest major city, and roughly 400 kilometres from Lhasa, the regional capital of Tibet.

The affected area, located in the Himalayas, is thinly populated. Officials said the region around the epicentre sits at an average elevation of about 4,800 metres. Meteorologists forecast snowfall for parts of the earthquake zone in the coming day, a factor that could complicate ongoing rescue and relief work.

This marks the second major natural disaster to hit Tibet in recent months. In late August, a flash flood in the southwestern part of the autonomous region buried a border post before surging downhill into Nepal, more than 1,000 kilometres from Nagqu. That disaster killed an estimated 1,450 people across both sides of the border, with more than 5,500 still listed as missing as of early October.

Tibet, along with southwestern China, Nepal and northern India, experiences frequent seismic activity caused by the ongoing collision of the Indian and Eurasian tectonic plates. The region's geology makes it one of the most earthquake-prone areas in the world, though its remoteness and high altitude often complicate emergency response efforts.

Authorities have not yet given a timeline for when search operations in Baqing County are expected to conclude. Rescue teams remain focused on reaching damaged structures and assessing the condition of residents in outlying villages, many of which are difficult to access given the terrain and expected weather conditions.