A strong earthquake struck Tibet in southwestern China on Thursday night, killing at least 16 people and injuring 32 others, Chinese state media reported .

Hundreds of homes in the remote Himalayan region collapsed due to the magnitude 7.0 quake, Xinhua reported.

China's President Xi Jinping has ordered "all-out search and rescue efforts" to locate missing people, provide "prompt medical treatment for the injured" and called for "every effort to minimize casualties," Xinhua said.

The earthquake is the strongest to hit the region in the past five years, broadcaster CCTV said, and the most powerful to hit China since January 2024 .

Firefighters have been deployed to help with disaster relief efforts Image: Xinhua/dpa/picture alliance

How severe was the earthquake in Tibet?

At least 339 residential buildings have collapsed, local government officials said, according to state media.…