Published on: 2026-10-31
Source: People’s Republic of China — Translation
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Photo: Xinhua
Lhasa, October 25 /Xinhua/ – Search and rescue operations and work to eliminate the consequences of a magnitude 7.0 earthquake that occurred in Bachen County of Nagqu prefecture-level city in the Tibet Autonomous Region of southwest China are ongoing, local authorities said on Saturday.
As a result of the earthquake that occurred on Thursday at 22:33 Beijing time, 16 people died and 76 more were injured. The underground tremors also damaged or destroyed the buildings of 339 households and 20 livestock facilities.
According to the local emergency headquarters, as of 11:00 on Saturday, all 76 injured were receiving timely medical assistance, and the condition of five of the 11 people initially classified as seriously injured had improved to a mild severity level.
Meanwhile, emergency disaster relief items continue to arrive in the affected areas, along with rescue personnel. As of 11:00 a.m. on Saturday, 52,450 units/sets of items for assisting disaster victims had been sent to the earthquake zone, with more than 2,500 rescuers involved in the rescue operations.
These items include 4,651 tents, 2,000 prefabricated houses, 11,772 folding beds, 5,715 blankets, and other essential goods for the winter period. A large-sized Wing Loong unmanned aerial vehicle also flew to the disaster zone.
In the disaster area, the authorities also organized 35 temporary accommodation points. More than 1,600 staff from Bachen County, 347 firefighters from the Nagqu Fire and Rescue Team, and 530 police officers from Nagqu Public Security organs were sent there, along with vehicles and search and rescue dogs.
According to the headquarters, the provision of medical care and the implementation of sanitary and epidemiological measures are carried out in an orderly manner.
As of 2:00 PM on Saturday, according to the headquarters, 949 aftershocks were registered in the affected areas, including eight with magnitudes from 4.0 to 4.9 and 33 with magnitudes from 3.0 to 3.9.
According to China Railway Qinghai-Xizang Group Co., Ltd., all temporary speed restrictions on the earthquake-affected section of the Qinghai-Tibet Railway were lifted Friday evening. The company reported that a comprehensive inspection revealed no abnormalities, and trains have resumed normal operations.
According to the China State Grid Corporation, electricity supply in the earthquake zone was fully restored by Saturday evening.
As reported by Sichuan Electric Power Company under the China National Grid Corporation State Grid, after the earthquake, it urgently dispatched teams to the affected area for emergency power restoration. As of Saturday, more than 300 employees were involved, as well as vehicles, power generation equipment, and emergency rescue equipment to ensure power supply to the on-site operational headquarters, lighting at temporary shelter points, and restoration of damaged power lines.
Local authorities also reported that the construction of the first phase of prefabricated houses in the earthquake-affected areas began around 2:00 a.m. on Saturday. As new modules arrive, residents currently living in tents will gradually be relocated to better insulated temporary housing.
“We will provide all affected residents with safe housing, warm clothing, bedding, hot meals, and clean drinking water,” said Pan Zhijin, Secretary of the Party Committee of the Nagqu City Emergency Management Bureau.
Many casualties were brought to the hospital of the Sog-Xian county, neighboring the Bachen county, throughout the night for medical assistance. Treatment was organized there, as well as the preparation of hot meals and essential supplies for the patients.
Early Friday morning, Norbu Wancheng, a resident of Sog-Xiang County, brought more than 100 servings of Tibetan noodles, as well as Tibetan tea and tsampa, to the hospital to help those affected by the earthquake.
Help also came from the city of Shigatse, located about 700 km from Bachen County.
Du Gopin, who was preparing to open two new restaurants in Shigatse, postponed the openings after learning about the earthquake and headed to the disaster area with more than 1,500 kg of dumplings.
His team set out at midnight on the day of the earthquake. After a bumpy ride, the team bought additional supplies on the way, including food containers and bottled water.
Upon arrival at the site, Du Gopin and his team set up camp kitchen equipment and prepared dumplings for the rescuers and affected residents. They worked during the day, and at night six team members huddled in two vehicles, keeping the heaters on to stay warm in the high-altitude cold.
According to him, since there are still more than 500 kg of dumplings left, the team plans to stay for at least three days to cook all the food brought.
The sight of firefighters, medical workers, and rescuers battling against time at the disaster site made a deep impression on him.
“It is a great honor for us to be able to contribute,” he said.
Photo: Xinhua
Photo: Xinhua
Photo: Xinhua
Photo: Xinhua
Photo: Xinhua
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