Chinese authorities launched an extensive rescue operation in Tibet following a 7.0-magnitude earthquake that struck late Thursday evening, resulting in at least 16 deaths and dozens of injuries. The quake occurred at 10:33 p.m. local time (14:33 GMT) in Baqing county, a sparsely populated area situated over 4,500 meters (14,800 feet) above sea level and approximately a 10-hour drive from the regional capital, Lhasa.

State media reported that the earthquake caused significant damage to infrastructure, with at least 339 houses either collapsing or sustaining damage. Footage broadcast by the state-run CCTV showed rescue workers navigating through debris in the dark, carrying out search and rescue efforts. Scenes also depicted people fleeing restaurants and supermarket shelves shaking so violently that items fell to the floor.

According to official sources, the disaster left 76 people injured, including 11 in serious condition, though some reports cite slightly varying figures on the number of injured. More than 12,000 residents from the affected area were evacuated as a precautionary measure.

Hundreds of rescue personnel, police officers, and over 300 soldiers were mobilized to assist with relief efforts. Specialized units with sniffer dogs and equipment were deployed to locate individuals trapped under rubble. Emergency teams were seen carrying injured people from damaged buildings, some with roofs partially or fully collapsed.

Residents reported experiencing intense fear during and after the quake. One woman recounted how her family rushed outside without dressing after their home began shaking. Another man said his house was "creaking and rattling" and that, unable to return inside, he spent the night sleeping in his car. Many local residents expressed reluctance to re-enter their homes, opting instead to camp roadside or remain in vehicles overnight.

President Xi Jinping addressed the situation, describing the quake as having caused "significant casualties" and underscoring the challenges posed by the high-altitude and cold weather conditions at the epicenter. He called for an "all-out" effort to carry out search and rescue operations and provide medical treatment to those injured in order to minimize further loss of life.

Earthquakes are relatively common in China’s mountainous western regions. In January 2025, a quake in Tibet’s Tingri county killed at least 126 people. In late 2023, an earthquake in Gansu province resulted in at least 148 deaths, marking the country’s deadliest seismic event since 2014, when a major quake in Yunnan province killed over 600 people. The 2008 Sichuan earthquake remains the deadliest in recent history, with nearly 90,000 people dead or missing.

Tibet’s restricted access for foreign journalists means information largely comes from Chinese state authorities. The region recently suffered a secondary natural disaster on August 26, when an avalanche and flood caused multiple fatalities on both the Chinese and Nepalese sides of the Himalayas.