Magnitude 7.0 earthquake hits Baqing county in Tibet's Nagqu; emergency responses launched
In short
The China Earthquake Networks Center formally measured a magnitude 7.0 earthquake at 22:33 on 22 October in Baqing county, Nagqu city, Tibet, at a depth of 10 km. The China Earthquake Administration launched a level II emergency response. Xinhua's headline at 00:40 said no casualty reports had been received yet.
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The China Earthquake Networks Center formally measured a magnitude 7.0 earthquake at 22:33 on 22 October in Baqing county, Nagqu city, Tibet. The epicentre was given as 32.40 degrees north, 93.79 degrees east, and the focal depth as 10 km. Minutes earlier, the center's automatic measurement had put the quake at about magnitude 6.7 at 32.43 degrees north, 93.82 degrees east, with the final result subject to the formal bulletin. [ 3 , 5 , 7 , 9 , 10 ]
Jiemian, citing the earthquake network, reported that this is the strongest earthquake in China this year. It said the previous magnitude 7 quake was a 7.1 in Wushi, Xinjiang, on 23 January 2024. Jiemian also cited online users as saying the shaking was strongly felt in Lhasa, Linzhi and Changdu. A Yicai headline said neighbouring counties felt the quake and that passing trains were stopped. [ 12 , 16 , 30 ]
The China Earthquake Administration launched a level II emergency response. The Tibet regional emergency command said it started a level II earthquake emergency response from 23:00 on 22 October, with search and rescue, treatment of the injured, relocation of residents and monitoring of secondary disasters. The regional natural resources department also started a level II geological-disaster response from 23:00, and its head led a working group to the quake zone. At 06:00 on 23 October the Ministry of Natural Resources started a level III response for Tibet and sent an expert group. [ 18 , 22 , 40 , 41 , 50 , 53 ]
Xinhua's headline at 00:40 on 23 October said no casualty reports had been received yet. China News Service published a headline saying armed police personnel set out overnight for the disaster area. The Ministry of Transport said rockfall hit parts of National Highway 317 and that maintenance crews cleared it by 03:00. It said traffic control was in place and advised drivers to detour and give priority to rescue vehicles. [ 27 , 39 , 49 ]
The earthquake network said that as of 07:00 on 23 October it had recorded 413 aftershocks. Of these, 393 were below magnitude 3.0 and 20 were magnitude 3.0 or above: 15 between 3.0 and 3.9 and five between 4.0 and 4.9. None reached 5.0, and the largest was 4.3. [ 47 ]
Why it matters
The center said it is the strongest earthquake in China this year. Authorities at several levels activated emergency and geological-hazard responses, and the documents report hundreds of aftershocks.
Key facts
- The China Earthquake Networks Center formally measured a magnitude 7.0 earthquake at 22:33 on 22 October in Baqing county, Nagqu city, Tibet (32.40 N, 93.79 E), at a depth of 10 km. [ 7 , 8 , 9 , 10 , 12 ]
- An earlier automatic measurement had put the quake at about magnitude 6.7 at 32.43 N, 93.82 E, with the final result subject to the formal bulletin. [ 3 , 5 , 6 ]
- The center said it is the strongest earthquake in China so far this year; the previous magnitude 7 quake was a 7.1 in Wushi, Xinjiang, on 23 January 2024. [ 16 ]
- The China Earthquake Administration launched a level II emergency response. [ 17 , 18 , 22 ]
- As of 07:00 on 23 October, 413 aftershocks had been recorded, the largest of magnitude 4.3; none was magnitude 5.0 or above. [ 47 ]
- Xinhua's headline at 00:40 on 23 October said no casualty reports had been received yet. [ 27 ]
- The Ministry of Natural Resources started a level III geological-disaster response for Tibet at 06:00 on 23 October. [ 50 , 51 , 53 ]
Confirmed by several sources
- The China Earthquake Networks Center formally measured a magnitude 7.0 earthquake at 22:33 on 22 October in Baqing county, Nagqu city, Tibet, at a depth of 10 km. [ 7 , 8 , 9 , 10 , 12 , 18 ]
- The China Earthquake Administration launched a level II emergency response. [ 17 , 18 , 22 ]
- The Ministry of Natural Resources started a level III geological-disaster response for Tibet at 06:00 on 23 October and sent an expert group to the quake zone. [ 50 , 51 , 53 ]
- The Tibet Department of Natural Resources started a level II geological-disaster response from 23:00 on 22 October. [ 34 , 41 ]
Still unclear
- Casualties and damage Xinhua's headline at 00:40 said no casualty reports had been received yet; the documents give no later casualty or damage figures.
- Extent of the shaking Jiemian cited online users saying the quake was strongly felt in Lhasa, Linzhi and Changdu; this is not confirmed by an official source in the documents.
- The Tibet regional emergency command started a level II earthquake emergency response from 23:00 on 22 October. Reported by a single source so far
What local media are saying
Timeline, local time
- A magnitude 7.0 earthquake strikes Baqing county, Nagqu, Tibet, at a depth of 10 km. [ 7 , 9 ]
- China News Service reports the earthquake network's automatic measurement of about magnitude 6.7. [ 5 , 6 ]
- CLS and Yicai report the formal measurement of magnitude 7.0. [ 7 , 8 ]
- The Tibet regional emergency command and the regional natural resources department start level II responses. [ 40 , 41 ]
- Yicai reports that the China Earthquake Administration has launched a level II emergency response. [ 17 ]
- Xinhua's headline says no casualty reports have been received yet. [ 27 ]
- Road maintenance crews clear rockfall on parts of National Highway 317. [ 49 ]
- The Ministry of Natural Resources starts a level III geological-disaster response for Tibet. [ 50 , 53 ]
- The earthquake network counts 413 aftershocks, the largest of magnitude 4.3. [ 47 ]