A powerful magnitude 7.0 earthquake shook a remote corner of northern Tibet late on Thursday night, killing at least 16 people and injuring 32 others, according to Chinese state media. The quake struck at 10:33 pm local time (8:03 pm IST) in Baqen county of Nagqu, a thinly populated, high-altitude region where temperatures fall well below freezing after dark. By Friday morning, 339 homes had been reported collapsed and rescue teams were still working through the night.
China's state broadcaster CCTV described it as the strongest earthquake to hit the region in five years. For the families living in scattered herding settlements across the plateau, the timing could hardly have been worse: the shaking came late at night, with snow forecast for the days ahead.
Where and when the earthquake struck
The US Geological Survey placed the epicentre about 190 km east-northeast of Nagqu city, which itself lies more than 300 km north of the Tibetan capital, Lhasa. Chinese officials located it in Maru township of Baqen county. The USGS initially put the depth at 18 km before revising it to around 10 km, matching the figure given by the China Earthquake Networks Center. Shallow quakes of this size tend to cause stronger shaking at the surface, which helps explain the damage to traditional homes in the area.
| Magnitude | 7.0 |
| Time | Thursday, October 22, 2026, 10:33 pm local (8:03 pm IST) |
| Epicentre | Maru township, Baqen county, Nagqu, northern Tibet |
| Depth | About 10 km (USGS revised; earlier 18 km) |
| Deaths | At least 16 (Xinhua) |
| Injured | 32 – 11 serious, 21 minor |
| Homes collapsed | 339, plus 20 livestock sheds |
| Emergency response | Level-II national response activated |
Casualties and damage so far
Xinhua reported 16 deaths and 32 injuries. The Nagqu media office said 11 of the injured were in serious condition and 21 had minor injuries. Some early reports circulated higher injury numbers, but official figures released overnight settled on 32. Beyond the 339 collapsed houses, 20 livestock sheds came down, a significant loss in a region where yak and sheep herding is the backbone of household income.
Communications were cut in parts of the affected area. Train services passing through the region were halted as a precaution, and National Highway 317 was closed to everything except emergency and official vehicles after rockfalls blocked stretches of the road.
How the rescue operation is unfolding
The county deployed more than 1,600 people for search and rescue, backed by over 300 police personnel and 347 members of the regional fire and rescue corps. Teams spent the night pitching tents for families whose homes were destroyed. China's emergency authorities activated a Level-II response, and relief supplies were rushed in, including 1,000 prefabricated housing units, around 3,000 tents, folding beds, torches and winter clothing.
The biggest challenge now is the weather. Intermittent snow is forecast over the next three days, and nights at this altitude are bitterly cold. Keeping survivors warm and sheltered will be as urgent as clearing rubble.
Why Tibet keeps shaking
The Tibetan plateau sits on one of the most active collision zones on the planet, where the Indian plate continues to push northward into the Eurasian plate. That slow but relentless squeeze builds stress along faults across the plateau and the Himalaya. Tibet has seen several deadly quakes in recent years, including the January 2025 earthquake near Shigatse that killed more than 120 people.
What it means for India
The same tectonic forces that shook Nagqu are at work along India's Himalayan belt, from Jammu and Kashmir and Himachal Pradesh to Uttarakhand, Sikkim and the Northeast. Each major quake on the plateau is a reminder for Indian states in seismic zones IV and V to keep building codes, school safety drills and disaster response plans up to date. There were no reports of damage in India from Thursday's quake, given the large distance from the border.
Indian travellers and pilgrims heading towards Tibet, including those planning visits linked to Kailash Mansarovar routes, should keep an eye on official advisories, as road and rail links in the region have been disrupted.
What happens next
Rescue teams will continue searching damaged villages on Friday, and the death toll could change as remote settlements are reached and communications are restored. Authorities are expected to focus on temporary shelter, medical care for the seriously injured and reopening National Highway 317. Aftershocks are common after a quake of this strength, so residents have been urged to stay out of damaged buildings.
ViralDose will update this story as Chinese authorities release fresh figures.
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