A magnitude 7.0 earthquake struck the autonomous region of Tibet in China, claiming at least 16 lives. According to state media, the tremor’s epicenter was located in the Baqen county within the Nagqu region. Officials immediately declared the event a state of emergency and dispatched rescue teams to the affected area, where 65 other people were injured, including eleven seriously.
The earthquake resulted in widespread infrastructure damage; power supply was disrupted, and 339 homes collapsed in the affected region. By Friday morning, reports indicated that power had been restored in some areas. Furthermore, over 12,400 people were forced to evacuate their homes. Landslides necessitated the closure of major roads, which complicated access to the high-altitude regions impacted by the disaster.
The US Geological Survey registered seven aftershocks near the epicenter, the strongest of which measured 5.2 and occurred at a depth of ten kilometers. In response, Prime Minister Li Qiang called for urgent measures to organize rescue and medical assistance. The Chinese government has allocated 50 million yuan (approximately 6.7 million euros) for disaster relief.
