Chinese President Xi Jinping has ordered an all-out rescue operation after a magnitude-7.0 earthquake struck the Tibet region, killing at least 16 people and injuring dozens, according to Chinese state media.

The earthquake struck at about 10:33 p.m. local time on Thursday in Baqen County, in Nagqu city in northern Tibet, prompting emergency teams to search for survivors and provide medical assistance to the injured.

China’s state news agency, Xinhua, reported that 16 people had died and 32 others were injured, including 11 who were seriously hurt. The casualty figures were reported by local authorities as rescue operations continued.

Xi instructed authorities to make every effort to locate missing people, treat the injured and minimise casualties. He also called for effective disaster relief and the protection of affected residents, according to a statement published by the Chinese government on Friday.

The earthquake caused widespread damage in the affected area. Local officials reported that at least 339 homes and 20 livestock sheds had collapsed, while the full extent of the destruction was still being assessed.

More than 1,600 rescue personnel were mobilised, and emergency supplies, including prefabricated housing units, tents, folding beds, flashlights and winter clothing, were sent to assist displaced residents.

The United States Geological Survey placed the epicentre about 191 kilometres east-northeast of Nagqu, at a depth of approximately 18 kilometres. The earthquake was followed by several aftershocks, with magnitudes ranging from 4.3 to 5.2.

The tremor also disrupted communications in some areas. Railway authorities suspended train services through affected sections, while rockfalls forced the closure of part of National Highway 317. Authorities restricted access to emergency, rescue and official support vehicles as crews worked to clear debris.

Rescue efforts are being complicated by the region’s high altitude and cold conditions. Intermittent snowfall was forecast in the affected area over the following days, according to Xinhua.

The earthquake is the strongest to hit China in five years, according to Chinese state broadcaster CCTV. The country has experienced several deadly earthquakes in recent decades, including a magnitude-7.1 earthquake in neighbouring Qinghai province in 2010 that killed at least 2,698 people.

Authorities have continued to assess the damage and coordinate relief efforts as rescue operations proceed.