Magnitude 7 Earthquake Strikes Tibet, Killing at Least 16

A magnitude 7 earthquake struck a mountainous region of Tibet on Thursday night, and at least 16 people were killed, according to Chinese state media reports.

The quake's centre was in Baqên County, in the Nagqu region. Baqên lies about 400 kilometres north-east of Lhasa, the capital of Tibet. Xinhua, citing the local emergency management bureau, reported the location, which is the office responsible for handling emergencies in the area.

Thirty-two people were injured. More than 300 homes collapsed in the affected area, and power there was mostly cut off.

Rockfall forced roads in the region to close, which made it difficult for rescue crews to reach people. Authorities declared an emergency and sent rescue teams into the area.

Earthquakes of this size can trigger landslides and rockfalls in steep terrain, and the mountains around Baqên appear to have been among the factors complicating access for responders. Reports on the number of deaths and injuries may change as crews reach more of the affected communities.