[Anchor]
A strong magnitude 7.0 earthquake struck the Tibet Autonomous Region late last night (October 22). So far, 16 people have been killed and over 60 others injured. More than 500 aftershocks have continued through today.
Beijing correspondent Han Sang-woo reports.
[Reporter]
The entire house shakes amid a roaring sound.
Items display-piled in shops tumble down, and people rush outside down violently shaking stairs.
A magnitude 7.0 earthquake occurred in Baqen County, Nagqu, in the Tibet Autonomous Region at 10:33 p.m. local time yesterday.
The epicenter was located at 32.40 degrees north latitude and 93.79 degrees east longitude, with a focal depth of 10 kilometers.
[China Media Group Reporter: Due to the magnitude 7.0 earthquake that occurred last night, as you can see, building walls have severely collapsed.]
To date, 16 people have died and 65 have been injured, with 11 of the injured reported to be in critical condition.
A total of 339 houses were destroyed, roads were damaged, and train operations were suspended.
Around 500 aftershocks of around magnitude 3.0 or higher continued through this morning.
Chinese President Xi Jinping instructed authorities to make every effort in search, rescue, and treating the injured, while China's Ministry of Emergency Management is conducting search and rescue operations inside collapsed buildings.
Residents in the affected areas are currently staying outdoors in places like school playgrounds and squares due to concerns over aftershocks.
Because the disaster area is a high-altitude region reaching 4,800 meters above sea level where temperatures drop below freezing at night, the Chinese government is distributing relief supplies along with winter gear.
This earthquake is the largest in China since a magnitude 7.1 quake struck the Xinjiang Autonomous Region on January 23, 2024.
In Tibet, a strong earthquake of magnitude 6.8 by Chinese standards also occurred on January 7 last year, killing around 200 people.
(Video by Choi Deok-hyeon | Video Editing by Cho Mu-hwan | Graphics by Kim Han-gil)
※
Copying, redistribution, and unauthorized use in AI training are strictly prohibited.