China News Service, October 26. According to the China Earthquake Administration website, at 22:33 on October 22, 2026, a 7.0-magnitude earthquake occurred in Baqing County, Nagqu City, Tibet, with a focal depth of 10 kilometers. After the earthquake, the China Earthquake Administration dispatched an earthquake on-site working group to carry out intensity surveys within the earthquake area in accordance with the requirements of standards such as "Earthquake Field Work Part 3: Investigation Specifications" (GB/T 18208.3-2011), "China Earthquake Intensity Scale" (GB/T 17742-2020), and "On-site Assessment of Earthquake Intensity" (DB/T 107-2025). Through on-site earthquake damage and surface rupture investigations at 191 survey points in the earthquake area, and with reference to scientific and technological support results such as aftershock distribution, focal mechanism solutions, and instrumental intensity distribution maps, the intensity distribution of the earthquake was determined, and the preparation of the "Tibet Baqing 7.0 magnitude earthquake intensity map" was completed, which is now officially released to the public.
Earthquake intensity distribution
The highest intensity of this earthquake was IX (9 degrees). The macro and micro epicenters were located in Maru Township, Baqing County, Tibet Autonomous Region. The length of the surface rupture zone was about 25 kilometers. The long axis of the isoseismic line trended north-northeast, and the long axis was about 274 kilometers, the short axis is about 157 kilometers, and the area in the VI degree (6 degree) zone and above is about 35,145 square kilometers, of which the Tibet Autonomous Region is about 26,141 square kilometers and the Qinghai Province is about 9,004 square kilometers. The earthquake affected 43 townships in 2 provinces (autonomous regions), 3 cities (prefectures), 9 counties (districts), including 39 townships in 2 cities, 8 counties (districts) in Tibet Autonomous Region, and 1 prefecture, 1 county and 4 townships in Qinghai Province.
The IX degree (9th degree) area covers an area of about 449 square kilometers, mainly involving Maru Township and Zase Town, Baqing County, Nagqu City, Tibet Autonomous Region; Chadan Township, Zaduo County, Yushu Tibetan Autonomous Prefecture, Qinghai Province, a total of 3 towns.
The VIII degree (8 degree) area covers an area of approximately 1,635 square kilometers, mainly involving Maru Township, Zase Town, Gangche Township, and Baqing Township, Baqing County, Nagqu City, Tibet Autonomous Region; Chadan Township, Zaduo County, Yushu Tibetan Autonomous Prefecture, Qinghai Province, a total of 5 towns.
The VII degree (7th degree) area covers an area of about 9,703 square kilometers, mainly involving Gangche Township, Zase Town, Lashi Town, Jiangmian Township, Benta Township, Axiu Township, Maru Township, Baqing Township, Baqing County, Nagqu City, Tibet Autonomous Region, such as Zhala Township and Xiaqu Town , Qiaze Township, Xiangqu Township, Chaqu Township, Ru Town, Liangqu Township, Yala Town, Rewa Township, Ruoda Township in Suo County, Dangmujiang Township in Nierong County; Chadan Township, Jieduo Township and Aduo Township in Zaduo County, Yushu Tibetan Autonomous Prefecture, Qinghai Province, a total of 22 towns.
The VI degree (6 degree) area covers an area of about 23,358 square kilometers, mainly involving Yangxiu Township, Xiaqu Town, Liangqu Township, Datang Township, Xiangqu Township, Baiga Township, Chaqu Township, Ru Town, Qiaze Township, Nagqu City, Tibet Autonomous Region, Jiangmian Township, Gongri Township, Ya'an Town, Lashi Town, Benta Township, and Suo County in Baqing County. Chiduo Township, Jiale Township, Gamei Township, Ruoda Township, Yala Town, Jiangda Township, and Rewa Township; Dangmujiang Township, Chadang Township, Baixiong Township, and Suoxiong Township in Nyirong County; Medika Township, Gequn Township, and Jiali Town in Jiali County; Sexiong Township, Daqian Township, and Nyima Township in Seni District; Jiagong Township, Bianba County, Qamdo City, and Muta Township in Dingqing County. There are a total of 37 towns in Chadan Township, Aduo Township, Jieduo Township and Moyun Township in Zaduo County, Yushu Tibetan Autonomous Prefecture, Qinghai Province.
In addition, some towns outside the VI degree (6 degree) area were also affected, and individual houses were damaged.
Intensity chart. Source: China Earthquake Administration website
This picture involves noun explanations
Macroepicentre: The location with the most serious earthquake damage in the epicenter.
Micro-epicenter: The location of the epicenter determined using seismic wave information recorded by instruments.
Surface rupture zone: a general term for the rupture and deformation caused by the earthquake source fault dislocation on the surface. It consists of earthquake faults, earthquake bulges, earthquake cracks, earthquake trenches, etc.
Degree IX (9 degrees): Most of the houses with civil and stone structures were destroyed or severely damaged; most of the houses with undefended brick-concrete structures were destroyed, with a few severely damaged and moderately damaged; cracks appeared in many places on the dry and hard soil.
Degree VIII (8 degrees): A few houses with civil, brick, wood, and stone structures were damaged, and most were moderately damaged and severely damaged; a few undefended brick-concrete structures were severely damaged, and most were moderately and slightly damaged; a few reinforced concrete frame structures were moderately damaged, and most were slightly damaged and basically intact; most indoor items were overturned or displaced; a few beam bridge blocks were damaged; cracks appeared on the concrete pavement; and landslides and landslides occurred in some areas.
Degree Ⅶ (7 degrees): A few houses with civil, brick, wood, and stone structures were severely damaged and destroyed, and most were moderately damaged and slightly damaged; unfortified brick-concrete structures were slightly damaged, and most were slightly damaged and basically intact; fortified brick-concrete structures were slightly damaged, and most were basically intact; reinforced concrete frame houses were slightly damaged and moderately damaged, and most were basically intact; a few beam bridge blocks were damaged; water spraying and sand eruption were common in saturated sand layers, and there were many ground cracks on soft soil.
Degree VI (6 degrees): A few minor or moderate damages to houses with civil, brick and wood, and stone and wood structures, and most of them are basically intact; a few minor and moderate damages to unfortified brick-concrete structures, and most of them are basically intact; a few or individual minor damages to fortified brick-concrete structures, and the vast majority are basically intact; a few or individual minor damages to reinforced concrete frame structures, and most of them are basically intact.
