1,600 crews clear rubble in Nagqu
Winter gear and prefabricated units arrived as communications failed and traffic halted following the 7.0 tremor that killed 16 people.
By Hugo Khalil ·
More than 1,600 local workers have been deployed to clear debris and assist with rescue operations in and around Nagqu. The mobilization follows a magnitude-7 earthquake that struck the region at 10.33 pm on Thursday night, killing at least 16 people and injuring 54, according to Chinese official media. The US Geological Survey placed the epicenter 119 miles east-northeast of Nagqu at a depth of 11 miles, in a sparsely populated, high-altitude zone. CCTV described the event as the largest tremor in the area in five years.
City government officials stated that at least 339 homes and 20 livestock sheds collapsed. Search and rescue teams remained active through the night. Footage broadcast by CCTV showed goods falling from supermarket shelves and workers fleeing restaurants as the ground shook. Rescuers were filmed climbing through structures with compromised roofs to locate survivors.
The tremor triggered at least seven aftershocks, ranging in magnitude from 4.3 to 5.2, each at a depth of 6 miles. Xinhua reported that communications were down in parts of the affected zone on Friday. Local railway authorities halted train traffic through the region as a precaution. Rockfalls blocked a section of national highway 317, restricting access to emergency, rescue, and official support vehicles while crews removed debris. Intermittent snow is forecast for the next three days.
Relief supplies have begun reaching the area. The dispatch included 1,000 prefabricated housing units, approximately 3,000 tents, folding beds, torches, and winter clothing. Over 300 police officers and nearly 350 fire and rescue personnel were sent to the site. President Xi Jinping called for an all-out effort in medical relief and rescue work.
Nagqu is located more than 185 miles north of Lhasa. The region experiences frequent seismic activity. In January 2025, a quake in Tingri county killed at least 126 people. In December 2023, a tremor in Gansu province killed at least 134, marking the deadliest event in China since 2014. In August, a severe flood hit the border of Tibet and Nepal, with limited international media access on the Tibetan side.
The Nagqu media office cited city government figures for the damage totals. The US Geological Survey provided the precise timing and depth measurements for the initial tremor and subsequent aftershocks. Xinhua detailed the status of infrastructure and the deployment of police and fire personnel.
Source: The Guardian
