At least 16 people have been killed as a result of a 7-magnitude earthquake in China's autonomous region of Tibet. Authorities have expressed fear of an increase in the death toll.

According to news agencies AFP, AP, and Reuters, the earthquake struck a remote area of northern Tibet on Thursday night at 10:33 PM. Search and rescue operations continued in the affected areas on Friday.

According to China's official news agency Xinhua, a Level-II emergency response has been implemented in the affected area to deal with the earthquake. The earthquake has damaged the power and communication systems.

According to Reuters, officials in the sparsely populated high-altitude city of Nagqu stated that up to 65 people were injured in the earthquake, although some other reports indicated a slightly lower number of injured.

This is the most severe earthquake to hit China since January 2024. According to officials, at least 339 houses and 20 livestock sheds have collapsed.

Videos released by state media show people running out of their homes and taking shelter in vehicles parked on the streets or in open spaces.

According to the US Geological Survey, the epicenter of the earthquake was in a mountainous region, located approximately 190 kilometers east-northeast of Nagqu and about 390 kilometers northeast of Tibet's capital, Lhasa.

Al Jazeera correspondent Katrina Yu, reporting from Beijing, said the Chinese government has deployed 1,600 personnel for rescue operations. However, reaching the affected area, located at an altitude of nearly 4,800 meters, is difficult as several roads are closed or affected by landslides.

She added that snowfall is also forecast in the coming hours and days.

According to Katrina Yu, this region is no stranger to earthquakes, as it is located at the collision zone of the Indian and Eurasian tectonic plates.

Authorities say the death toll has remained relatively low so far due to the low population of the affected area. However, they warned that the death toll could rise in the coming hours.