A powerful earthquake occurred in China: over 300 houses destroyed, casualties reported

A powerful earthquake struck on Thursday, October 22, in the Tibet Autonomous Region of China. According to the latest published data, at least 16 people have died and another 32 have been injured. This was reported by AFP, citing the Chinese state agency Xinhua and local authorities. The tremors, with a magnitude of 7.0, were recorded at 22:33 local time (17:33 Latvian time). As a result of the natural disaster, over 300 houses collapsed. The epicenter of the earthquake was located in mountainous terrain, in the village of Maru in Bakken County, approximately 390 kilometers northeast of Lhasa, the capital of Tibet. The focus was at a depth of just 10 kilometers. In the administrative center of Bakken County, power supply was cut off after the earthquake, and there were disruptions in telecommunications networks. The disruption of communication and electricity supply further complicates the situation in the affected area, where rescue operations and damage assessments are ongoing. Local authorities have not yet completed the damage assessment. Therefore, information about the number of destroyed buildings and casualties may be updated as the settlements are surveyed. Strong earthquakes are not uncommon for Tibet. The region is located in a zone of high seismic activity associated with tectonic plate movements. One of the last major earthquakes occurred here in January 2025, when at least 126 people died in the Tibetan county of Tingri. The current earthquake has again caused significant destruction. Rescue services continue their work, and authorities are determining the full extent of the disaster's consequences.