Tibet earthquake kills at least 16 and injures 32
By the AFREEQUE newsroom, based on MyJoyOnline
A magnitude 7 earthquake has killed at least 16 people and injured 32 others in Baqên county, Tibet, according to Chinese state media. Rescue operations were launched after 339 homes collapsed, power was cut and landslides closed roads, reports Xinhua.
The magnitude 7 earthquake that struck Baqên county, in the Tibetan region of Nagqu, on Thursday evening has killed at least 16 people and injured 32. Chinese authorities launched an emergency operation and sent rescue teams to the mountainous area, reports the official Xinhua news agency, cited by MyJoyOnline.
The earthquake also caused 339 houses to collapse and led to power cuts. Rockfalls closed several roads, complicating access for rescuers to areas at high altitude. The tremors were felt in Qamdo and Nyingchi, according to local authorities.
Baqên county lies about 400 kilometres north-east of Lhasa, the capital of the Tibet autonomous region. The toll of 16 dead and 32 injured is an update to the initial information published on 22 October about the magnitude 7 earthquake in Tibet.
