Rescue operations underway after magnitude 7 quake strikes remote Tibet region

Rescue operations continued Friday in Nagqu, a remote city situated approximately 4,800 metres above sea level in the Chinese region of Tibet, following a magnitude 7 earthquake that struck Thursday. The disaster has claimed at least 16 lives and left 76 people injured, according to Chinese state media reports.

The earthquake caused extensive structural damage across the region, with at least 339 homes collapsing. Chinese authorities expressed concern about potential secondary disasters, including building collapses triggered by aftershocks and casualties from rockslides in the mountainous terrain. State broadcaster CCTV released footage showing destroyed residential structures and fractured stone walls throughout Nagqu.

Emergency response efforts have been substantial, with more than 12,000 residents evacuated from affected areas. Authorities are constructing additional temporary shelters to accommodate displaced residents. Officials reported that no persons have been listed as missing in Baqen County, where the earthquake's epicentre was located.

Search and rescue operations face significant challenges due to the region's geographical isolation and severe cold conditions at high altitude. These environmental factors are impeding swift access to affected communities and complicating the deployment of rescue equipment and personnel. Despite these obstacles, rescue teams have mobilized to systematically search for survivors in the earthquake zone.