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2025 Tibet earthquake

Strong ground motion map by USGS
UTC time	2025-01-07 01:05:16
USGS-ANSS	ComCat
Local date	7 January 2025 (2025-01-07)
Local time	09:05 CST (UTC+8)
Magnitude	Mw 7.1 Ms 6.8
Depth	10.0 km (6.2 mi)
Epicenter	28°38′20″N 87°21′40″E / 28.639°N 87.361°E / 28.639; 87.361
Type	Normal
Areas affected	Tibet Autonomous Region, Nepal
Max. intensity	MMI VIII (Severe)
Aftershocks	7 ≥Mw 4.0 Strongest: mb  5.1
Casualties	53 fatalities, 62 injured

On 7 January 2025, at 09:05 CST, an earthquake measuring M_w 7.1 or M_s 6.8 struck Tingri County, located in the Tibet Autonomous Region of southwestern China. At least 53 people were killed while 62 others were injured.

Tectonic setting

The Tibetan plateau attains its high elevation due to crustal thickening related to convergence along the Himalayas. Faulting within the plateau are associated with strike-slip and normal mechanisms. The plateau extends in an east–west direction along evidenced by north–south striking grabens, strike-slip faulting and GPS data. The largest earthquakes in Tibet, with magnitudes of 8.0 or similar, occurs along strike-slip faults. Normal faulting earthquakes are smaller in magnitudes; in 2008, five normal faulting earthquakes with magnitudes of 5.9 to 7.1 occurred in various locations across the plateau. These earthquakes occurred on faults with dip angles of 40 to 50 degrees and extended to a depth of 10 to 15 km (6.2 to 9.3 mi). A 2010 study in Geophysical Journal International observed within the past 43 years, 85 percent of seismic moment released during normal faulting occurred in areas of more than 5 km (3.1 mi) elevation. This may suggest normal faulting earthquakes are dependent on gravitational potential energy to trigger these ruptures.

Earthquake

The United States Geological Survey said that the earthquake measured a moment magnitude (M_ww ) of 7.1, while the China Earthquake Networks Center reported its magnitude at M_s 6.8. It occurred as a result of normal faulting within the Tibetan Plateau. Focal mechanism solutions indicate that the rupture occurred on a north-south striking fault, dipping moderately to either to the east or west. Modelling of the rupture by the United States Geological Survey revealed motion along a north–northeast striking fault dipping west–northwest or north–northwest striking fault dipping east–northeast. In both solutions, co-seismic slip occurred for about 80 km (50 mi) along strike and extended to 20 km (12 mi) depth. The maximum slip in these solutions were 1.6 m (5 ft 3 in) and 1.3 m (4 ft 3 in), respectively. Seismologists at the China Earthquake Networks Center said the mainshock originated within the Lhasa terrane, a crustal block that forms part of the plateau. Geologic activity causes north–south compression and east−west extension within the plateau which are accommodated by faults.

Impact

The earthquake killed at least 53 people and injured 62 in Tibet; 32 deaths in Tingri County; 2 in Lhatse County; and 2 in Sa'gya County. More than 1,000 homes collapsed in Tingri county, near the epicenter. It was the largest earthquake in China since January 2024 and the deadliest since December 2023 when an earthquake killed 148 people in Gansu province. Numerous collapsed houses were reported in villages throughout Tingri County, trapping residents beneath rubble. Three townships in the county reported fatalities. A hotel was damaged in Lhatse County. A police station also suffered minor damage in Phulping Katti, Nepal.

Response

Following the earthquake, more than 1,500 rescue personnel, 75 vehicles, four search dogs and 7,030 sets of equipment were dispatched to the epicenter. The China Meteorological Administration issued a level-three emergency alert for the area. To prevent further casualties during the aftershocks, residents were evacuated. Local officials also allocated resources from the transport, water and village administrative departments to aid in rescue efforts.

Xi Jinping, the General Secretary of the Chinese Communist Party, "ordered all-out rescue efforts". He urged the relevant bodies to treat the injured, repair damaged infrastructure and relocate those displaced. In Nepal, security forces were deployed to areas affected by the earthquake.

See also

• List of earthquakes in 2025
• List of earthquakes in China
• List of earthquakes in Nepal
• 2010 Yushu earthquake
• April 2015 Nepal earthquake

References

1. "USGS earthquake catalog". United States Geological Survey.
2. ANSS. "M 5.1 - 72 km NE of Lobuche, Nepal 2025". Comprehensive Catalog. U.S. Geological Survey.
3. ^ ANSS. "M 7.1 - 2025 Xizang, China Earthquake 2025". Comprehensive Catalog. U.S. Geological Survey.
4. Elliott, J. R.; Walters, R. J.; England, P. C.; Jackson, J. A.; Li, Z.; Parsons, B. (2010). "Extension on the Tibetan plateau: recent normal faulting measured by InSAR and body wave seismology". Geophysical Journal International. 183 (2): 503–535. Bibcode:2010GeoJI.183..503E. doi:10.1111/j.1365-246X.2010.04754.x.
5. "西藏日喀则市定日县发生6.8级地震". cbgc.scol.com.cn (in Chinese). 7 January 2025. Retrieved 7 January 2025.
6. Tengfei, Zhang (7 January 2025). "专家：此次定日县地震为拉萨地块的1次能量释放" [Experts: The Dingri County earthquake was an energy release in the Lhasa block]. China Central Television (in Chinese). Retrieved 7 January 2025.
7. Xiaoge, Yu (7 January 2025). "西藏定日县地震已致53人遇难" [53 people have been killed in the earthquake in Dingri County, Tibet]. Xinhua News Agency (in Chinese). Retrieved 7 January 2025.
8. "西藏6.8级地震已致36人遇难" [6.8-magnitude earthquake in Tibet kills 36 people]. Nanfang Daily. 7 January 2025. Retrieved 7 January 2025.
9. "Tibet earthquake kills at least 30". DW News. Reuters. 7 January 2025. Retrieved 7 January 2025.
10. Kua, Isabel (7 January 2025). "Quake In China's Tibet Kills 32 With Tremors Felt In Nepal, India". Agence France-Presse. Barron's. Retrieved 7 January 2025.
11. ^ "西藏日喀则6.8级地震救援情况 震中有人员被困". Economic Daily (in Chinese). 7 January 2025. Retrieved 7 January 2025.
12. "西藏定日县6.8级地震已有人员遇难" [6.8-magnitude earthquake in Dingri County, Tibet has killed people] (in Chinese). Xinhua News Agency. 7 January 2025. Retrieved 7 January 2025.
13. "西藏6.8地震「大量房屋倒塌」已有人身亡「居民受困搶救中」" (in Chinese). Eastern Broadcasting Company. 7 January 2025. Retrieved 7 January 2025.
14. "भूकम्पका कारण सिन्धुपाल्चोकको फुल्पिङकट्टी चौकीमा क्षति" (in Nepali). Ratopati. 7 January 2025. Retrieved 7 January 2025.
15. Jing, Tian (7 January 2025). "西藏日喀则市定日县发生6.8级地震" [A 6.8-magnitude earthquake occurred in Dingri County, Shigatse City, Tibet]. Ministry of Emergency Management (in Chinese). Retrieved 7 January 2025.
16. Jiexi, Su (7 January 2024). "中国气象局启动地震灾害气象服务三级应急响应" [China Meteorological Administration launches Level 3 emergency response for earthquake disaster meteorological services]. China Meteorological Administration (in Chinese). Retrieved 7 January 2025.
17. "53 killed after 6.8-magnitude quake hits Xizang". Asia News Network. Kathmandu Post. 7 January 2025. Retrieved 7 January 2025.
18. "Update: Xi orders all-out rescue efforts following heavy casualties in 6.8-magnitude Xizang quake". Xinhua News Agency. 7 January 2025. Retrieved 7 January 2025.
19. "Powerful earthquake kills more than 50 in Tibet". France 24. 7 January 2025. Retrieved 7 January 2025.

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• Earthquakes in Nepal
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