Injuries from China's Tibet earthquake rise to 65, death toll holds at 16

The magnitude 7 earthquake that struck Tibet in southwestern China has injured 65 people, while the death toll remains at 16, local authorities said on Friday.

The quake struck Baqen County in Nagqu City late on Thursday, according to state news agency Xinhua. The high-altitude region is sparsely populated.

Chinese President Xi Jinping ordered all-out search and rescue efforts for missing people and prompt medical treatment for the injured following the earthquake.

China raised its national earthquake emergency response from Level IV to Level III on Friday, according to the Ministry of Emergency Management, and dispatched a work team to guide and assist rescue and relief operations.

China's National Fire and Rescue Force sent 350 rescuers and 83 vehicles to the affected area. As of 6.30 am on Friday (2230 GMT on Thursday), 120 rescuers and 27 vehicles had arrived, while the remaining personnel and vehicles were on their way.

Authorities also mobilised emergency supplies, including 1,000 prefabricated housing units, 3,239 tents, 2,821 folding beds and 4,280 quilts, Xinhua reported.

More than 300 police officers, including traffic and community police personnel, were also sent to the epicentre to assist with rescue and emergency relief operations, the Nagqu police department said in a post on WeChat early on Friday.

Officers assessed damage to homes and helped residents move to safer locations. A video posted by police on Douyin, China's version of TikTok, showed officers loading supplies into a truck in the dark and inspecting a building and rubble with flashlights.

More than 12,000 people have been safely relocated, Xinhua reported. Videos released earlier by local official media showed residents leaving their homes and seeking shelter outdoors or in cars parked along the streets. One resident said the strong tremor woke them up and caused their house to creak.

Damage assessment and aftershocks

The US Geological Survey (USGS) said the earthquake struck at a depth of 10 kilometres, about 183 kilometres from Nagqu.

The agency issued a yellow alert for earthquake-related deaths, indicating that casualties were possible, and an orange alert for economic losses, warning that significant damage was likely and the impact could be widespread.

“Estimated economic losses are less than 1 percent of GDP of China. Past events with this alert level have required a regional or national level response,” the USGS said, adding that people in the region generally live in structures vulnerable to earthquake shaking.

The China Earthquake Networks Center said 413 aftershocks had been recorded.

In 2010, a magnitude 7.1 earthquake struck Yushu in neighbouring Qinghai province, killing at least 2,698 people and leaving nearly 300 missing.

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Source: TRT