Earthquake in Tibet kills 16, hundreds of homes destroyed
The magnitude was seven.
Photo: CCTV+VCG / Getty Images
According to Chinese state media, a magnitude seven earthquake occurred in a mountainous area of Tibet, killing at least 16 people, writes the BBC.
The earthquake's epicenter was in Baqen County (Nagqu Prefecture) on Wednesday night. This county is located 400 km northeast of Lhasa — the administrative center of Tibet.
Authorities declared a state of emergency and dispatched rescue teams to the affected area. 32 injured people have also been reported.
According to local sources, 339 residential buildings were destroyed in the disaster zone, and power supply in the region has been almost completely cut off.
Due to rockfalls, roads in the region have been blocked, making it difficult for rescue services to access affected areas.
Strong tremors were also felt in the cities of Chamdo and Nyingchi in Tibet.
Less than two months ago, Tibet and Nepal were severely affected by widespread floods and landslides caused by a glacier collapse. At least 1,400 people died then, and hundreds are still missing.