Magnitude‑7 quake hits Nagqu, kills 16 and injures 54

A magnitude‑7 earthquake struck Nagqu in China’s Tibet autonomous region on Oct 22, 2026, killing at least 16 people and injuring 54. The quake hit at 10:33 p.m. local time, with its epicentre 191 km east‑northeast of the city and a depth of 18 km. At least 339 homes collapsed and hundreds more were badly damaged, prompting officials to warn of further collapses from aftershocks and of rock‑slide casualties. Rescue teams from three nearby counties, totalling more than 5,000 personnel, began three rounds of house‑to‑house searches on Friday. Supplies delivered include 2,000 prefabricated housing units, about 3,400 tents, 2,000 folding beds, flashlights and winter clothing. The U.S. Geological Survey recorded seven aftershocks ranging from magnitude 4.3 to 5.2, all at a depth of 10 km. Communication lines were cut in some villages and railway authorities stopped trains through the area. Rockfalls blocked a stretch of National Highway 317, allowing only emergency and rescue vehicles to pass while crews clear debris. Intermittent snow is forecast for the next three days, adding difficulty to rescue work. President Xi Jinping ordered an all‑out effort in rescue and medical relief, a directive reserved for major disasters.

Context

The Himalayas are a seismically active zone because the Indian tectonic plate pushes into Eurasia. The thin air and freezing temperatures at 4,800 m altitude slow down rescue operations and increase risk to survivors.