Tibet quake kills 16 as rescue intensifies
Bastillepost · 7 SOURCESabout 1 hour ago2 MIN
Summary
A magnitude 7.0 earthquake struck Baqing County in Nagqu, Tibet, at 10:33pm on October 22, leaving 16 people dead and 54 injured as rescue operations expanded through Friday morning. Authorities said hundreds of homes were damaged or collapsed, while central and regional officials stepped up emergency response, relief deliveries and aftershock monitoring.
Key Points
- The quake hit Maru Township in Baqing County at 10:33pm on October 22, with a focal depth of 10 kilometres at 32.40 north and 93.79 east.
- By 7am on October 23, officials said 16 people had died and 54 were injured, including 11 seriously hurt, with damage reported to 339 households.
- President Xi Jinping ordered rescuers to search for trapped people, treat the injured, move relief supplies quickly and resettle affected residents properly in the cold, high-altitude area.
- Premier Li Qiang called for rapid disaster verification, full rescue and medical treatment, and tighter seismic monitoring because the high-altitude disaster zone faces frequent aftershocks.
- Rescue forces included about 350 national firefighting personnel, more than 300 Western Theater Command troops, and local police, firefighters and medics already deployed to the scene.
Why It Matters
For Hong Kong readers, the immediate concern is whether rescue and shelter operations can keep pace in a remote, high-altitude area facing cold weather, damaged infrastructure and repeated aftershocks. The next phase will centre on casualty verification, temporary housing and restoring basic services as more relief supplies reach the quake zone.