Powerful 7.0-Magnitude Earthquake Strikes Tibet, Renewing Concerns Over Disaster Risks
Babushahi Network
TIBET, 22 Oct 2026: A powerful earthquake measuring 7.0 on the Richter scale struck Tibet at around 8:03 PM on Thursday, raising fresh concerns about disaster risks in the region, which is still recovering from devastating flash floods last month.
According to the National Centre for Seismology (NCS), the earthquake occurred at a depth of 173 kilometres beneath the Earth's surface, with its epicentre located approximately 400 kilometres from Lhasa, the capital of Tibet.
The latest tremor comes amid a series of seismic events in the region. On September 3, Tibet recorded a magnitude 5.0 earthquake at a depth of around 14 kilometres. Earlier, in January 2025, a powerful earthquake measuring 6.8 in magnitude, according to the China Earthquake Networks Centre, killed more than 120 people and left hundreds injured.
Experts Warn of Rising Natural Disaster Risks
Experts have warned that rising temperatures, retreating glaciers and increasingly extreme weather events could intensify natural disaster risks across the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau. The latest earthquake has once again drawn attention to the region's vulnerability, particularly as communities continue to deal with the aftermath of recent disasters.
The earthquake comes weeks after a devastating ice-rock avalanche near the Nepal-Tibet border on August 26 triggered catastrophic flash floods. The floods swept away homes, roads and bridges, damaged hydropower projects and left thousands of people missing, causing widespread destruction across affected areas.
Nepal and Tibet Suffer Heavy Losses
In Nepal, at least 1,455 people were killed, while 5,285 remained missing when authorities ended search-and-rescue operations. The scale of the destruction has placed a significant burden on the country, with officials estimating that nearly $5 billion would be required for early recovery and rehabilitation.
The funds are expected to support reconstruction efforts and assist thousands of people displaced by the disaster.
On the Tibetan side of the border, Chinese state media reported 43 deaths and more than 500 people missing. Earlier reports had put the number of missing people at 558, including 260 foreign nationals.
However, the full extent of the destruction remains difficult to independently assess because of limited information emerging from the affected areas.
Fresh Concerns Over Regional Preparedness
The latest earthquake has renewed concerns about the preparedness of communities living in seismically active and environmentally sensitive areas of the Tibetan Plateau. The region's complex geological conditions, combined with changing climatic patterns and the threat of glacial hazards, pose significant challenges for disaster management.
As recovery efforts continue following the recent floods, authorities and experts face renewed questions about early-warning systems, infrastructure resilience and the protection of vulnerable communities.
Further assessments will be necessary to determine the impact of Thursday's earthquake and whether it caused additional damage or casualties. Details about the situation on the ground remain limited.