Snow Looms Over Nagqu as 1,600 Workers Fight Debris After 7.0 Quake
The earthquake destroyed 339 homes in northern Tibet, killing 16 people and injuring 46 others.
By Madison Morris ·
Freezing weather now threatens rescue crews in northern Tibet following a powerful earthquake.
A magnitude 7 tremor struck at 10:33 p.m. local time on Thursday. The U.S. Geological Survey located the epicenter 191 kilometers east-northeast of Nagqu at a depth of 18 kilometers. The shockwave killed at least 16 people and injured 46. Eleven of those injured are in serious condition.
City officials reported that 339 homes and 20 livestock sheds collapsed in the Nagqu area. More than 1,600 workers from the local county have entered the zone to search for survivors. Relief shipments have arrived, including 1,000 prefabricated housing units, 3,000 tents, and winter clothing.
Infrastructure damage has disrupted transport and communication. Rail authorities halted train traffic through the affected sector. A section of National Highway 317 remains closed to general traffic after rockfalls. Only emergency and support vehicles may pass while crews clear debris.
The coming weather may slow progress. Xinhua reported intermittent snow is expected over the next three days. CCTV called this the region's largest seismic event in five years.
Nagqu sits more than 300 kilometers north of Lhasa. The area is sparsely populated and located at high altitude.
Source: CBC News
