Magnitude 7.0 Earthquake Strikes Remote Region of Northern Tibet

A powerful magnitude 7.0 earthquake struck a remote, high-altitude region of northern Tibet late Thursday, shaking communities that sit at some of the highest elevations on Earth.

The earthquake hit at about 10:33 p.m. local time on Thursday, Oct. 22, which was 10:33 a.m. EDT, according to the China Earthquake Networks Center. Its epicenter was in Baqen County, in Tibet’s Nagqu region, roughly 250 miles north of the regional capital, Lhasa.

Shaking was clearly felt in the local area. In the hours after the quake, there were no immediate reports of injuries, deaths or damage.

What We Know So Far

Early measurements of the earthquake differ slightly depending on the agency. The China Earthquake Networks Center reported that the quake originated about 6 miles, or 10 kilometers, beneath the surface, making it a shallow earthquake.