LHASA -- Rescue and relief efforts continue after a 7.0-magnitude earthquake struck Drachen county of the city of Nagchu in Southwest China's Xizang autonomous region, local authorities said Saturday.

The earthquake, which struck at 10:33 pm on Thursday, has left 16 people dead and 76 others injured. The quake has also damaged or destroyed 339 homes and 20 livestock sheds.

As of 11 am Saturday, all 76 injured people were receiving timely medical treatment, with five of the 11 people initially classified as seriously injured having improved to a mild condition, according to the local emergency command headquarters.

Meanwhile, relief supplies and rescue personnel continue to arrive in the affected areas. As of 11 am Saturday, 52,450 items or sets of disaster relief supplies had been sent to the quake zone, while more than 2,500 rescue personnel were engaged in relief operations.

The supplies include 4,651 tents, 2,000 prefabricated houses, 11,772 folding beds, 5,715 quilts and other cold-weather necessities. A large Wing Loong unmanned aerial vehicle has also arrived at the site.

Authorities have established 35 temporary resettlement sites in the disaster zone. More than 1,600 personnel from Drachen county, 347 firefighters from the Nagchu fire and rescue detachment, and 530 police officers from the Nagchu public security bureau have been deployed, alongside vehicles and search-and-rescue dogs.

Medical treatment and public health and epidemic prevention efforts are proceeding in an orderly manner, the headquarters said.

As of 2 pm Saturday, the headquarters said 949 aftershocks had been recorded in the affected areas, including eight measuring 4.0 to 4.9 in magnitude and 33 measuring 3.0 to 3.9.

All temporary speed restrictions on the quake-hit section of the Qinghai-Xizang Railway were lifted on Friday night, according to China Railway Qinghai-Xizang Group Co Ltd. A comprehensive inspection found no abnormalities, and trains resumed normal operations, the company said.

Power supply in the quake-hit area was fully restored on Saturday night, according to the State Grid.

State Grid Xizang Electric Power Co Ltd urgently dispatched teams to the affected area for emergency power restoration after the quake, the state-owned utility said. More than 300 personnel along with vehicles, power generation facilities and emergency equipment have been deployed as of Saturday to ensure power supply for the on-site command center, provide lighting for resettlement sites and restore damaged power lines.

Local authorities said construction on the first batch of prefabricated houses in the quake-affected areas started at around 2 am Saturday. As more units arrive, residents currently staying in tents will gradually move into the better-insulated temporary housing.

"We will ensure that affected residents have safe shelter, warm clothing and bedding, hot meals and clean drinking water," said Pan Zhiqing, Party chief of the Nagchu Municipal Emergency Management Bureau.

At a hospital in Drachen's neighboring Sog county, many injured residents were sent there for treatment overnight. The hospital has arranged medical treatment and prepared hot meals and daily necessities for patients.

Early Friday morning, Norbu Wangchen, a local resident in Sog county, brought more than 100 portions of Tibetan noodles, along with Tibetan tea and tsampa, to the hospital to help those affected by the earthquake.

Help also came from the city of Shigatse, some 700 kilometers away from Drachen.

Du Guoping, who was preparing to open two new restaurants in Shigatse, postponed the openings after learning of the earthquake and headed to the disaster zone with more than 1,500 kg of dumplings.

His team set off at midnight on the night of the earthquake. After a bumpy journey, the team purchased additional supplies, including food containers and bottled water, along the way.

After arriving, Du and his staff set up cooking equipment and prepared dumplings for rescue workers and affected residents. They worked during the day, and at night, the six team members squeezed into two vehicles to rest, keeping the heating on to ward off the high-altitude chill.

With more than 500 kg of dumplings still remaining, Du said the team planned to stay for at least three days to cook all the food they brought.

Watching firefighters, medical personnel and rescue teams race against time at the disaster site left a deep impression on him.

"We feel honored to be able to contribute in our own way," he said.

Following the magnitude-7.0 earthquake in Drachen county, Nagqu, Xizang autonomous region, on Oct 22, many temporary housing units have been rushed in from Lhasa, with workers racing to complete their installation. A local Tibetan sweet-tea cafe is serving free hot meals to affected people.

Rescue and relief operations continued on Saturday in Drachen county, Xizang autonomous region, as emergency workers and volunteers rushed to help residents affected by Thursday night's magnitude-7.0 earthquake.

The quake, which struck at 10:33 pm on Thursday, has killed 16 people and injured 76 others, with 339 houses reported collapsed, according to a regional government. Authorities said on Friday that three rounds of searches had been completed, with no people reported missing.

The regional government upgraded its emergency disaster relief response to Level II, effective Friday, to strengthen rescue operations and assistance to affected residents.

In some of the hardest-hit villages in Maru township, rescue teams have been searching damaged buildings, setting up temporary shelters and delivering essential supplies. Volunteers have also joined the relief effort, offering food and other assistance to displaced residents.

Sonam Ngodrub, who runs a Tibetan restaurant in Nagchu, traveled to one of the affected villages after the earthquake.

"I run a Tibetan restaurant, and there isn't much else I can do apart from helping others," he said. "Every day, I can provide 100 to 150 kilograms of Tibetan noodles free of charge, along with roasted barley flour and sweet tea."

Police officers and auxiliary personnel dug through rubble with their bare hands to rescue trapped residents in Drachen county, Xizang autonomous region, after a magnitude-7.0 earthquake struck at 10:33 pm on Thursday.

A 45-member team from the county public security bureau set out at about 11 pm and traveled 85 kilometers, reaching the severely hit villages in Maru township at 12:30 am on Friday.

"The only thing on our minds was getting the trapped residents out as quickly as possible," said Tsering Dawa, an officer with the county public security bureau.

With temperatures dropping to minus 6 C and aftershocks continuing, 10 officers cleared fallen rocks from roads while the remaining 35 personnel searched for survivors in groups of three. They used drones to assess the damage, coordinated with village officials to check residents' whereabouts, and searched homes one by one.

Before heavy machinery arrived, the rescuers used wooden poles to support unstable structures and squeezed through twisted door and window frames to reach trapped residents. They searched more than 200 households and helped transport injured people to hospital.

After daybreak, the team directed traffic, transported supplies and set up more than 30 tents to shelter residents.

BAQEN, Xizang - Sixteen people have been killed and 76 others are injured following a 7.0-magnitude earthquake that struck Baqen County of the city of Nagqu in southwest China's Xizang autonomous region at 10:33 pm on Thursday, local authorities said.

The quake has also damaged or destroyed 339 homes and 20 livestock sheds, according to a press conference held on Friday afternoon by the information office of the Nagqu municipal government.

Chinese President Xi Jinping has ordered all-out search and rescue efforts for the missing and prompt medical treatment for the injured, urging every effort to minimize casualties.

Xi also called for close monitoring of seismic activity and weather conditions to prevent secondary disasters, as well as proper accommodation for affected residents and swift repairs to damaged infrastructure.

Premier Li Qiang called for solid disaster prevention and response efforts, while the Ministry of Emergency Management (MEM) and authorities in Xizang have mobilized resources for rescue and relief operations.

China has allocated 50 million yuan (about 7.5 million US dollars) in emergency disaster relief funds and earmarked another 30 million yuan for recovery efforts. The country has also upgraded its national earthquake emergency response from Level IV to Level III.

More than 5,000 personnel have been deployed to the front lines of the disaster relief operation, working in teams responsible for search and rescue, medical treatment, temporary shelter and the provision of essential supplies.

An emergency command headquarters has been established on the front lines to coordinate relief efforts. As of 10 a.m. Friday, 12,489 residents have been evacuated.

After three rounds of comprehensive door-to-door checks, no missing persons had been reported as of 6 pm Friday, according to the emergency command headquarters.

In a village of Maru Township, one of the hardest-hit areas near the epicenter, Xinhua reporters saw many houses completely collapsed, while others sustained extensive wall damage. Rows of emergency tents were erected in an open, safe area below the village.

Half of villager Trinley's house collapsed, burying many of his belongings beneath the rubble. Two white tents were set up in his courtyard.

"After the earthquake, our biggest concerns were where to stay and what to eat," Trinley said. "The government provided us with supplies including emergency tents, water and instant noodles," he added.

The MEM said that on top of the 5,000 relief items previously allocated by the central government, an additional 5,000 central relief items, including tents, coats and folding beds were allocated.

By coordinating efforts with other relief agencies and companies, the ministry said that it has also promptly allocated 43,000 other relief items, including mobile toilets, heating stoves, food and fuel, to ensure that affected people are properly resettled.

The Red Cross Society of China has dispatched a working team to the disaster-hit area to guide local relief efforts. It has also allocated 3,800 sets of supplies, including family relief kits, hygiene kits, heaters, tents, jackets, folding beds and quilts. The society has additionally allocated 50 emergency toilet units to support affected residents and coordinated with the Chinese Red Cross Foundation to provide 500 family relief kits, 500 hygiene kits and more than 1,000 cartons of food to the quake-hit area. The China Charity Federation, one of the country's most influential charity organizations, has urgently allocated 3 million yuan to support emergency rescue endeavors.

RESCUE CHALLENGES

The earthquake zone has an average elevation of nearly 4,800 meters. The high-altitude, cold and low-oxygen environment, secondary disaster hazards and aftershock risks pose challenges to the relief efforts, local authorities said at the press conference.

Deng Xiaogang, a rescuer with Nagqu's fire and rescue team, said that beyond the low temperatures and low oxygen levels, the biggest challenge was that the epicenter was in a pastoral area, where residents live far apart, making search-and-rescue operations more time-consuming in the initial stages.

Some herding sites are up in the mountains, and the terrain is rugged, said Jigme Dorje, deputy head of the Baqen County public security bureau. "At first, machines could not reach these places, so we had to climb up and dig through the rubble with our hands, wearing only gloves," he said.

Local authorities said that rescue teams will continue to take precautions to overcome difficulties in relief operations.

Nighttime temperatures in the quake zone are low. Earthquake-triggered hazards such as landslides, collapses and falling rocks are currently the main secondary disaster risks.

Earthquake monitoring, meteorological and emergency management departments, meanwhile, are coordinating closely to issue timely warnings of aftershocks and adverse weather conditions.

Local authorities have launched round-the-clock intensified monitoring of key sites, including mountainsides, reservoirs, power stations, rivers, structurally unsafe buildings and telecommunications base stations. Emergency repairs are also underway, with damaged telecommunications and power facilities gradually being restored.

Pan Zhiqing, Party secretary of Nagqu's emergency management bureau, said that in follow-up rescue work, personnel will be assigned to accompany rescue teams to inspect geological hazards along mountains and roads. Dangerous areas will be immediately cordoned off, and people and vehicles will be prohibited from passing.

Transportation authorities will monitor road damage in real time, promptly repair and reopen blocked sections, and ensure smooth traffic flow. They will continue to coordinate with meteorological and natural resources departments and issue risk warnings, Pan added.

China Telecom, China Mobile and China Unicom mobilized emergency repair teams, vehicles and equipment overnight, dispatching personnel to the quake-hit areas to restore communications services and inspect network facilities.

All telecommunications base stations disrupted by the earthquake in Baqen County had been restored as of 10:30 a.m. Friday, according to the Xizang Communications Administration.

The 7.0-magnitude earthquake was an extensional rupture, according to experts with the China Earthquake Networks Center (CENC).

"An extensional fracture, in simple terms, occurs when the crust is stretched horizontally and, under tension and gravity, faultage slides downward along existing faultage, forming fractures and rupture surfaces," said Han Yanyan, a senior engineer with the earthquake prediction department of the CENC.

President Xi Jinping has urged all-out search and rescue efforts for the missing and prompt medical treatment for the injured, in order to minimize casualties after a magnitude 7 earthquake rocked Drachen county in Nagchu, Southwest China's Xizang autonomous region.

The quake, which struck at 10:33 pm on Thursday at a depth of 10 kilometers, killed 16 people, injured at least 76, and damaged or flattened 339 houses, with search for survivors continuing on Friday.

In an instruction issued on Friday morning, Xi noted that the affected county is at a high altitude with low temperatures, emphasizing the need to closely monitor seismic activity and weather conditions to prevent secondary disasters.

It is imperative to dispatch emergency rescue supplies, properly accommodate the affected residents, and repair damaged infrastructure as quickly as possible to safeguard people's lives and property, Xi said.

In a separate instruction, Premier Li Qiang called for swift assessment of the situation. Given the county's high altitude and the frequent aftershocks, Li urged the Ministry of Emergency Management and the China Earthquake Administration, together with relevant authorities, to strengthen seismic monitoring and forecasting, and step up disaster prevention and response efforts.

Surveillance footage shared by local media showed buildings shaking violently as the temblor struck, with goods falling off shelves and residents rushing outdoors. In Maru township, one of the hardest-hit areas in Drachen, the ground cracked open and sections of a road sank, China Central Television reported.

China's national comprehensive fire and rescue force has dispatched 350 personnel and 83 vehicles to support operations in the quake-hit areas. The national earthquake emergency response was upgraded on Friday to Level III — the third highest in China's four-tier system — while a separate Level III national natural disaster relief response was also activated.

The China Aerospace Science and Technology Corp has deployed satellites and unmanned aerial vehicles to aid rescue efforts. The corporation said it is coordinating resources at its disposal to facilitate emergency communication and support imaging of the quake-hit areas.

The Ministry of Finance and the Ministry of Emergency Management have jointly allocated 50 million yuan ($7.5 million) to support rescue and relief operations, while the National Development and Reform Commission has earmarked an additional 30 million yuan from the central budget to help restore damaged infrastructure and public service facilities.

The Red Cross Society of China has allocated 3,800 units of relief supplies, including hygiene kits, heating stoves and cotton tents, along with 50 sets of emergency toilets.

On the ground, rescue teams have been working relentlessly. In Gangchen township, one of the areas closest to the epicenter, rescuers launched a door-to-door search in the early hours of Friday. In Maru, a resident trapped in a damaged house was rescued around 2:20 am by firefighters who arrived from Drachen.

On Friday afternoon, Nagchu Mayor Dondrub said at an on-site news briefing that emergency relief supplies from central and local authorities were being promptly delivered to the affected county.

He said that 18 temporary resettlement sites have been set up, providing displaced residents with warm shelter, food, clothing, clean drinking water and medical care. A total of 12,489 people have been relocated, he added.

Power supply and communication networks are being restored gradually in the hardest-hit areas. All 628 mobile base stations, which were knocked offline by the earthquake, were restored by 10:30 am on Friday, according to the Xizang Communications Administration.

Meng Linghe, Party chief of Drachen, said the quake-hit areas have an average elevation of nearly 4,800 meters, which means temperatures plummet after dusk. In addition to the freezing weather, the possibility of secondary disasters, such as landslides, poses grave risks, he said.

As scattered snow showers are expected in the coming days, with ice and snow likely to cover high-altitude road sections, Meng urged rescue teams to remain alert and exercise caution when transporting personnel and supplies to the affected areas.

Meanwhile, a magnitude 4.5 earthquake hit Zadoi county in neighboring Qinghai province at 10:14 pm on Friday, according to the China Earthquake Networks Center. The quake occurred at a depth of 10 km, with its epicenter located around 20 km from the epicenter of the Drachen temblor.

Li Hongyang and Liu Boqian contributed to this story.

BEIJING -- China has deployed satellites and unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) to aid rescue efforts following a 7.0-magnitude earthquake in Southwest China's Xizang autonomous region on Thursday evening.

The China Aerospace Science and Technology Corporation (CASC) said on Friday that immediately after the disaster, it coordinated and deployed satellite resources to conduct emergency communication support and imaging of the quake-hit area.

The CASC said it has activated multiple high-throughput satellite internet emergency service lines for the Ministry of Emergency Management, local emergency management authorities, and major telecom operators. Additional service line terminals are on their way to the quake-hit area.

In response to satellite imaging requests for quake relief, the CASC immediately mobilized Gaofen-4 and other satellites to observe the quake-hit area. As of 7 am (Beijing Time) Friday, it had delivered four pre-disaster images and three post-disaster images, providing strong support for rescue and relief operations and disaster assessment.

According to the Aviation Industry Corporation of China (AVIC), a UAV Wing Loong took off from an airport in Xigaze of Xizang autonomous region in the early hours of Friday and flew to the quake-hit area to carry out disaster observation and communication support missions.

The AVIC said other Wing Loong teams are ready for deployment.
Chinese People's Liberation Army Air Force also sent a UAV around midnight to the quake-hit area for disaster survey.

Sixteen people were killed and 76 others injured after the earthquake struck Baqen county of Nagqu city in Xizang autonomous region at 10:33 pm Thursday, local authorities said on Friday.

BEIJING -- The 7.0-magnitude earthquake that struck Baqen county of the city of Nagqu in Southwest China's Xizang autonomous region on Thursday was an extensional rupture, according to experts with the China Earthquake Networks Center (CENC).

The quake occurred at around 10:33 pm, causing heavy casualties. Focal mechanism solutions show the event was basically consistent with regional tectonic characteristics.

"An extensional fracture, in simple terms, occurs when the crust is stretched horizontally and, under tension and gravity, faultage slides downward along existing faultage, forming fractures and rupture surfaces," said Han Yanyan, a senior engineer with the earthquake prediction department of the CENC.

The CENC explained that the collision between the Indian and Eurasian plates had caused the uplift of the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau, crustal shortening and thickening, and widespread plateau deformation. These processes are the main dynamic mechanism controlling tectonic deformation in the western part of the Chinese mainland.

The interior of the plateau is subjected to both north-south compression and east-west extension, and two typical fault systems, trending roughly north-south and east-west, have developed there.

"The epicenter is located within the Changtang block of the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau, about 2 km from the nearest fault, the Baqen-Riwoqe fault," Han said.

Under such intense crustal deformation, the Changtang block and its surrounding fault zones are particularly active. Since 1900, the block has experienced six earthquakes of magnitude 7 or above, including this one. The largest was a 7.5-magnitude earthquake in Shuanghu on Nov 8, 1997.

"Therefore, this earthquake was an energy release of the Changtang block," Han said.

Authorities in Nagchu city, Xizang autonomous region, warned at a Friday news conference that aftershocks and secondary disasters remain major risks following a magnitude-7.0 earthquake in Drachen county on Thursday night.

The quake had killed 16 people and injured 76, said Dondrub, mayor of Nagchu.

The affected area averages nearly 4,800 meters in elevation, according to Meng Linghe, Drachen's Party secretary. Landslides, slope collapses, and falling rocks are the main secondary geological hazards. Low nighttime temperatures, scattered snow showers, and black ice on shaded high-altitude roads pose risks to rescue vehicles.

Dondrub said inspections have covered 12 roads spanning more than 1,700 kilometers, 201 bridges, and 324 culverts. Officials identified 11 hazards and cleared rockfalls at seven road locations.

Earthquake, meteorological, and emergency management departments are consulting and issuing aftershock and weather warnings, while police and transport authorities keep emergency routes open.

Round-the-clock monitoring and emergency repairs cover mountain slopes, reservoirs, power stations, river channels, unsafe buildings, and telecommunications base stations. Authorities are inspecting mountain slopes and roads alongside rescue teams, Meng said. Dangerous areas will be cordoned off, and search operations will be kept away from steep slopes.

Authorities will inspect geological hazard sites and vulnerable infrastructure hourly and continue issuing updated risk alerts, Dondrub said.

China's transport authorities have stepped up road inspections and emergency support to ensure rescue vehicles can reach areas affected by a magnitude-7.0 earthquake in Southwest China's Xizang autonomous region.

Roads in the quake-hit area are under traffic controls, with access maintained for rescue vehicles while other vehicles are temporarily barred, according to the Ministry of Transport.

The earthquake struck Drachen county in Nagchu at 10:33 pm on Thursday. By 10 am Friday, 16 people had been killed and 76 injured, according to local authorities.

The ministry activated a Level III emergency response for road transport at 9 am Friday and dispatched a team to coordinate rescue support and efforts to keep roads open. It is also coordinating with the Ministry of Finance to arrange emergency funding for road clearance and repairs.

Level III is the second-lowest level in the ministry's four-tier response system, with Level I being the highest. Xizang's transport department activated its own Level II response after the earthquake.

Local highway authorities deployed 178 personnel and 39 pieces of machinery to inspect affected sections of five national highways and seven provincial roads. They have checked 2,377 kilometers of roads, 295 bridges and 635 culverts.

The inspections found varying degrees of damage along sections of national highway G345 and provincial highway S301. More detailed inspections of roads, bridges and other transport infrastructure are continuing.

Emergency equipment is being sent to the disaster-hit area from reserve centers in Lhasa and Qamdo to help crews clear debris and repair roads.

Crews from nearby construction projects run by centrally administered State-owned enterprises, along with other road maintenance teams, are on standby to provide additional support.

Electricity and communications have been restored in some villages in the hardest-hit areas of Drachen county, Xizang autonomous region, following a magnitude-7.0 earthquake on Thursday, according to the Xizang Communications Administration.

State Grid Xizang Electric Power activated its emergency response and dispatched teams overnight to Gangche and Maru townships to inspect and secure power facilities.

Electricity has been restored across the area surrounding the Maru township government offices. Phone and internet services have also returned to normal in two villages in the township. Being close to the earthquake's epicenter, they were among the most affected areas.

According to the administration, the earthquake knocked 628 mobile base stations offline, accounting for 8.5 percent of the city's total. These stations have been restored as of 10:30 am Friday, bringing communications in the affected area back to pre-earthquake levels within 12 hours.

The administration said 131 emergency repair personnel and 50 vehicles had been deployed to restore communications, along with 38 generators and other emergency equipment. Telecommunications networks in the disaster area are now operating normally, supporting the coordination of rescue operations.

Earthquake authorities in Yunnan and Sichuan provinces have sent a dozen personnel to the affected area to assess the quake's intensity, verify damage, and conduct other emergency field operations.

Sixteen people have been killed and 76 injured as of 1 pm Friday following Thursday's magnitude-7.0 earthquake in Drachen county, Xizang autonomous region, officials said at a news conference Friday.

Dondrub, mayor of Nagchu city, which administers the county, said rescuers had completed three rounds of searches, checking key areas and visiting residents in remote, scattered settlements.

Authorities have set up 18 temporary shelters and relocated 12,489 people, he said. Due to the quake, 339 households have collapsed or been damaged, along with 20 livestock sheds.

The immediate priorities are treating the injured and ensuring displaced residents have access to basic necessities, he said. Authorities will provide insulated tents and hot meals, with particular attention to older people, children, pregnant women, new mothers, and people with disabilities.

Rescuers went door to door in villages near the epicenter of a magnitude-7.0 earthquake that struck Drachen county, Xizang autonomous region, looking for anyone in need of help.

In Gangche township, one of the areas closest to the epicenter, rescue workers began searching for people trapped in their homes in the early hours of Friday morning.

Surveillance footage shared by local media showed buildings shaking violently, with goods tumbling from shelves as residents rushed outside to escape the quake on Thursday night. In Maru township, one of the hardest-hit areas, the earthquake cracked the ground and caused sections of road to sink, China Central Television reported.

"Suddenly, there was a tremendous rumbling. For a moment, it felt as if hundreds of yaks were running at once," said Dzondru Tseltrim, a resident of Garuthang village in the county.

His family had already gone to bed when the shaking began. Woken by the tremors, he heard cabinets and wooden pillars creaking inside the house. He rushed to wake his father, in his 80s, and helped him outside. Other family members soon followed.

Fearing aftershocks, the family decided not to sleep indoors that night. They arranged for his father to rest in a car while the others prepared to spend the night in the courtyard.

BEIJING -- China has allocated 50 million yuan (about $7.5 million) in emergency disaster relief funds and earmarked another 30 million yuan for recovery efforts following a 7.0-magnitude earthquake in Southwest China's Xizang autonomous region.

The earthquake struck Drachen county of the city of Nagchu at 10:33 pm on Thursday, leaving 16 people dead and 65 injured.

The Ministry of Finance and the Ministry of Emergency Management jointly allocated 50 million yuan to support rescue operations and assistance to affected residents, while the National Development and Reform Commission earmarked the additional 30 million yuan from the central budget to help restore damaged infrastructure and public service facilities.

The country has also upgraded its national earthquake emergency response from Level IV to Level III, while activating a separate Level IV national natural disaster relief response.

China's national comprehensive fire and rescue force has dispatched a total of 350 rescuers and 83 vehicles for rescue operations. The emergency management ministry has guided Xizang's emergency management department in arranging for Wing Loong drone deployment to the quake-hit area for disaster reconnaissance.

As of 6:30 am on Friday, 120 rescuers and 27 vehicles had arrived in the quake-hit area, while the remaining 230 rescuers and 56 vehicles from the Xizang fire and rescue corps were en route as reinforcements, having all entered Nagqu's administrative area.

Earlier, as of 4:30 am on Friday, authorities had mobilized relief supplies at the central, regional, municipal and county levels, and delivered them in batches to the affected area.

These supplies included 1,000 prefabricated housing units, 3,239 tents, 2,821 folding beds and 4,280 quilts, among other essentials.

The number of people injured in the 7.0-magnitude earthquake that struck Drachen county in Nagchu city, Xizang autonomous region, has risen to 65, including 11 seriously injured and 54 with minor injuries, according to the city's earthquake relief headquarters.

As of 10 am Friday, rescue teams had safely evacuated 12,489 residents from affected areas. Search and rescue operations, damage assessments, and efforts to provide temporary shelter for displaced residents are ongoing.

By early Friday, rescue teams and relief supplies reached earthquake-hit Drachen county in Nagchu, Xizang autonomous region, as authorities upgraded the national earthquake emergency response to Level III, the third highest of the four-tier system, the Ministry of Emergency Management said on Friday.

A 7.0-magnitude earthquake struck the county at 10:33 pm on Thursday, killing 16 people and injuring 54.

A working team from the central government has been dispatched to the disaster area to guide and assist relief efforts.

The ministry has guided the Xizang autonomous region's emergency management department to send Wing Loong drones to the disaster area to assess the damage.

By 4:30 am on Friday, relief supplies allocated by authorities at the central, autonomous region, city, and county levels had arrived in the disaster area. The relief supplies comprised of 1,000 prefabricated housing units, about 3,200 tents, about 2,800 folding beds, and 100 mattresses, along with quilts, stoves, cotton clothing, overcoats, and Tibetan robes. Also included were four generators, 1,000 hand-crank solar flashlights, and 1,000 head-mounted outdoor lights.

By 6:30 am on Friday, 120 personnel and 27 vehicles had arrived in the disaster area. Another 230 personnel and 56 vehicles from the Xizang Fire and Rescue Corps were en route, having reached Nagchu.

The Red Cross Society of China has activated an emergency response on Friday, allocating 3,800 sets of relief supplies, including hygiene kits, heating stoves, cotton tents, windproof jackets, folding beds, and cotton quilts. It has also dispatched a working group to the disaster zones to guide local efforts in relocating affected residents.

China's Ministry of Natural Resources activated a Level III geological disaster emergency response for the Xizang autonomous region at 6 am on Friday, after a magnitude-7.0 earthquake struck the region on Thursday evening.

According to the China Earthquake Networks Center, the quake hit Drachen county of Nagchu city in Xizang at 10:33 pm on Thursday, with a focal depth of 10 kilometers. So far, at the time of publication, it has resulted in 16 deaths and 54 injuries.

Under the third-highest level emergency response in the four-tier system, an expert working group has been dispatched by the ministry to the quake-hit area to assist with emergency technical support, secondary geological hazard screening, and on-site disposal.

The ministry required the Xizang natural resources department to carry out immediate patrols and investigations, strengthen monitoring and early warning, conduct joint risk assessments, handle disaster reports, and maintain 24-hour duty with timely information reporting.

The China Geological Survey and the ministry's technical guidance center for geological disasters were tasked with coordinating expert deployments and enhancing assessment and scheduling to support local disaster prevention efforts.

Rescue teams are continuing search and rescue operations on Friday after a 7.0-magnitude earthquake struck Drachen county in Nagchu city, Xizang autonomous region, killing 16 people and injuring 65 others.

As of 10 am on Friday, 11 people were seriously injured and 54 sustained minor injuries, the city's earthquake relief headquarters said, Xinhua News Agency reported. A total of 339 households had homes collapsed or were damaged, while 20 livestock enclosures were damaged.

The earthquake struck at 10:33 pm Thursday at a depth of 10 kilometers, according to the China Earthquake Networks Center.

Firefighters rescued a trapped resident from a village at around 2:20 am Friday, CCTV reported. Rescue personnel were also conducting searches and damage assessments in other affected villages.

Xizang's fire and rescue authorities mobilized 347 rescuers and 82 vehicles, along with more than 4,200 pieces of rescue equipment. More than 300 police officers were also dispatched to the hardest-hit areas, according to Xinhua.

Emergency supplies dispatched by authorities at national, regional, municipal, and county levels began arriving in the disaster zone by 4:30 am, including 1,000 prefabricated housing units, 3,239 tents, 2,821 folding beds, 4,280 quilts, and winter clothing.

Xizang has activated a Level III emergency response for disaster relief, while national authorities have upgraded their Level IV response to Level III and dispatched working groups to assist local rescue and relief operations.

The Nagchu meteorological observatory warned that intermittent snow showers and strong winds could affect the earthquake-hit area over the next three days, with snow accumulation and icy roads posing additional risks to rescue and transport operations.

A magnitude-7 earthquake struck Drachen county of Nagchu city, Xizang autonomous region at 10:33 pm on Thursday, with a focal depth of 10 kilometers, China Earthquake Networks Center reported.

The county has a population of 56,200, official statistics showed.