Wire reporting: (AP, via WGN)

A magnitude 7.0 earthquake struck a sparsely populated part of China's Tibet Autonomous Region on Thursday night, killing at least 16 people, injuring dozens and collapsing hundreds of homes, according to Chinese state media cited by international outlets^1,4,8,10.

The U.S. Geological Survey placed the main shock at 10:33 p.m. local time, with an epicenter about 190 kilometers (about 118 miles) east-northeast of Nagqu, north of Lhasa^2,4,8. Xinhua, citing the local emergency management bureau, put the center in Baqen County in the Nagqu region, about 400 kilometers northeast of Lhasa¹.

Death tolls in the reports that could be read were aligned at 16; injury counts were not^1,6,8,10. BBC and DW, citing local officials and Xinhua, reported 65 injured, including 11 in serious condition^1,10. CBS News and Euronews reported 54 injured^2,8. IOL and AFP copy carried by VnExpress cited an earlier local tally of 32 injured as of about 2:25 a.m. Friday^6,17. Independent confirmation of casualty counts from outside Chinese official channels was not in the reports reviewed.

Nagqu officials said at least 339 homes and 20 livestock sheds collapsed^2,8,10. BBC said electricity was cut and later partly restored, and that local media put people relocated above 12,400¹. DW reported more than 12,000 relocated¹⁰. Al Jazeera said a level-II earthquake disaster emergency response was activated and that electricity and communications were down in places⁴.

More than 1,600 people were sent for rescue work, with tents, prefabricated housing, folding beds and winter clothing delivered, CBS News and Euronews reported^2,8. Rockfall closed parts of National Highway 317 except for emergency traffic, and rail service through the area was halted as a precaution, Euronews said⁸. BBC said closed roads made it harder to reach high-altitude sites¹. Al Jazeera, citing its Beijing correspondent, said snow was forecast and that officials expected the death toll could rise⁴. Euronews said intermittent snow was forecast for three days⁸.

Chinese state television called it the strongest quake in the region in five years^8,10. DW and Al Jazeera said it was the strongest in China since January 2024^4,10. Depth estimates differed: CBS News said USGS put the quake at 11 miles and Xinhua, citing the China Earthquake Networks Center, at 6.2 miles². Euronews said USGS put the main shock at 18 kilometers and aftershocks at 10 kilometers⁸. DW described a shallow depth of about 10 kilometers¹⁰. BBC said USGS recorded seven nearby tremors, the largest magnitude 5.2, and that state media later reported more than 400 aftershocks¹.

Xinhua said President Xi Jinping ordered all-out search and rescue, DW reported¹⁰. BBC said Premier Li Qiang called for urgent rescue and medical care, noting the area sits around 4,800 meters¹. DW noted a January 2025 quake in Tibet's Tingri area that killed at least 126 people¹⁰.