Tibet Earthquake: 7.0 Tremor Strikes 173 km Below Surface

Tibet was struck by a major earthquake of 7.0 magnitude on Thursday night, with the tremor occurring at approximately 8:03 pm local time. The seismic event arrives as the region continues to rebuild after a catastrophic flash flood last month.

India's national seismology agency reported that the quake's focus was approximately 173 kilometres underground. The epicentre sat about 400 kilometres from Lhasa.

Earlier, on September 3, Tibet recorded a 5.0-magnitude earthquake at a depth of about 14 kilometres.

In January 2025, a stronger 6.8-magnitude quake hit the same broader region, killing more than 120 people and injuring hundreds more, according to Chinese seismic reporting.

Researchers and specialists caution that climate-linked changes, including rising temperatures, accelerated glacier melt and more frequent extreme weather, may increase the likelihood of natural disasters across the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau. The new quake has drawn renewed attention to the vulnerability of residents who are still coping with recent emergencies.

The flash flood that preceded this quake occurred on August 26 near the Nepal-Tibet frontier. It was caused by a large avalanche of ice and rock, which destroyed houses, roads and bridges. Hydropower projects were severely damaged, and thousands of people went missing.

Nepal's officials ended their search and rescue operations after counting at least 1,455 deaths and 5,285 missing persons. The country estimates it needs roughly $5 billion for immediate relief and rehabilitation work.

Chinese state media put the death toll on the Tibetan side at 43, with more than 500 people reported missing. Earlier figures had cited 558 missing, including 260 foreign nationals. Since information from affected areas is limited, the true scale of the disaster is hard to assess independently.