Officials report at least 339 households with collapsed or damaged homes
A magnitude-7.0 earthquake struck Tibet late Thursday, killing at least 16 people, local authorities said Friday. The U.S. Geological Survey said the earthquake hit about 119 miles east-northeast of Nagqu, a city in China’s Tibet Autonomous Region. The agency said the quake occurred at 10:33 p.m. Thursday local time and struck at a depth of 11 miles.
China’s state-run news agency Xinhua reported Friday’s death toll, citing local authorities, who said 76 others were injured. The updated injury toll was higher than an earlier count from state broadcaster CCTV: 46 people were injured, including 11 in serious condition and 35 who sustained only minor injuries.
Officials said at least 339 households had homes that either collapsed or were damaged by the earthquake.
The China Earthquake Administration initiated a Level II emergency response, while Tibet activated a Level II earthquake disaster emergency response.
Chinese leader Xi Jinping ordered an all-out search-and-rescue effort for the missing, according to state-run news agency Xinhua, though it was unclear how many people were unaccounted for. He also called for the prompt medical treatment of those who were injured.
China’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs spokesperson Mao Ning said online, “May everyone in the affected area stay safe.”
Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif of Pakistan offered his condolences online. “Deeply saddened by the tragic loss of precious lives and injuries caused by the devastating earthquake in Nagqu,” he said on social media. He also said, “Pakistan stands in solidarity with its Chinese brothers and sisters in this difficult time and is ready to extend every possible support.”
The earthquake came nearly two months after flash flooding struck Nepal and neighboring Tibet on Aug. 26. The earlier flooding killed more than 1,300 people and left around 5,000 still missing.