Fresh earthquakes struck Tibet on Saturday, days after a powerful 7.0-magnitude quake killed 16 people and injured at least 76 in the region. The National Centre for Seismology (NCS) recorded a magnitude 5.4 tremor at 2.09 pm IST.The latest tremors in Tibet come two days after a powerful earthquake struck Tangnezong district in Nakchu, northern Tibet, at 10.33 pm local time on Thursday, according to Chinese authorities. The disaster killed 16 people and left at least 76 injured, triggering large-scale rescue and relief operations.The earlier earthquake damaged or destroyed 339 houses and 20 livestock sheds, according to information released by the Nagqu municipal government on Friday. The USGS placed its epicentre 183 km east-north-east of Nagqu city. India’s NCS recorded the quake at 8.03 pm IST on Thursday, at a depth of 173 km, with its epicentre at latitude 32.368°N and longitude 93.853°E.
Over 12,000 evacuated as rescue operations continue
More than 5,000 personnel have been deployed for rescue operations, medical assistance and relief distribution. Authorities said 12,489 residents had been evacuated by 10 am on Friday. Following three rounds of door-to-door inspections, officials reported no missing persons as of 6 pm on Friday.Chinese President Xi Jinping has directed authorities to intensify search and rescue efforts, ensure timely medical treatment for the injured and take all possible measures to minimise casualties. He also called for close monitoring of seismic activity and weather conditions to prevent secondary disasters and provide shelter to displaced residents.The earthquake disrupted transport in the affected region, with railway authorities suspending train services through the quake-hit areas, Chinese state broadcaster CCTV reported.
CTA president flags lack of information on damage
President of the Central Tibetan Administration (CTA), Penpa Tsering, expressed concern over the disaster, saying more information was needed to assess the full extent of the damage.“Last night, there was an earthquake. This is a recurring phenomenon; we have always been saying that Tibet is a seismic zone and the scale of it is about 7, according to what we hear right now, but it could be more; we still don’t know. We’ll have to look for more inputs,” he said.Tsering said the earthquake struck Nagqu, in an area referred to as Tangnezong, and that obtaining information from the affected region remained difficult.“We have no idea about the impact of that earthquake so far, but according to Chinese sources, Xinhua, because you know, even with the Tibet-Nepal flash floods, there was no access to information,” he said, adding that the administration would continue seeking further confirmation.
Harsh terrain complicates relief efforts
Rescue efforts have been complicated by the region’s high altitude, low temperatures, reduced oxygen levels and rugged terrain. Authorities have also warned of secondary hazards, including landslides, falling rocks and building collapses.China has allocated 50 million yuan in emergency relief funding and earmarked another 30 million yuan for recovery work. Emergency teams are distributing tents, food, blankets and other essential supplies, while repair crews work to restore damaged infrastructure.Rescue operations and monitoring for aftershocks and adverse weather conditions are continuing, authorities said.