(Photo courtesy of Anadolu)
TIBET, CHINA – At least 16 people were killed and 54 others injured after a magnitude 7.0 earthquake struck Baqen County in Nagqu City, Tibet, late Thursday, according to China’s Xinhua News Agency.
Chinese President Xi Jinping ordered intensified search and rescue operations for missing individuals and immediate medical assistance for those injured in the powerful tremor.
Following the earthquake, China’s Ministry of Emergency Management raised its national earthquake emergency response from Level IV to Level III on Friday to strengthen rescue and relief operations.
A government team was dispatched to the affected area to coordinate emergency assistance and assess the extent of the damage.
China’s National Fire and Rescue Force deployed 350 rescuers and 83 emergency vehicles to support search and rescue operations.
As of 6:30 a.m. Friday, 120 rescuers and 27 vehicles had reached the affected communities, while additional personnel and equipment were still on their way.
Authorities also mobilized emergency supplies, including 1,000 prefabricated housing units, 3,239 tents, 2,821 folding beds, and 4,280 quilts for displaced and affected residents.
According to the United States Geological Survey (USGS), the earthquake occurred at a depth of 10 kilometers, approximately 183 kilometers from Nagqu.
The USGS issued a yellow alert for potential earthquake-related fatalities and an orange alert for economic losses, indicating the possibility of significant and widespread damage.
The agency estimated that economic losses could reach less than one percent of China’s gross domestic product, noting that earthquakes with similar alert levels have historically required regional or national emergency responses.
It also warned that many structures in the affected region are vulnerable to strong ground shaking, increasing the risk of damage and casualties.
Rescue and relief operations continued as authorities worked to locate missing residents, assist survivors, and assess the earthquake’s impact.
