An aerial drone photo taken on October 23, 2026 shows emergency tents at an earthquake-hit village in Maru Township of Baqen County, Nagqu City, southwest China's Xizang Autonomous Region. Sixteen people have been killed and 76 others are injured. — XINHUA/VNA Photo

HÀ NỘI — Vietnamese Party and State leaders on Friday sent messages of sympathy to their Chinese counterparts following a devastating earthquake that struck Baqing County, Nagqu City, in the Tibet Autonomous Region of China on Thursday evening, causing heavy losses of life and property.

General Secretary of the Communist Party of Việt Nam (CPV) Central Committee and President Tô Lâm, Prime Minister Lê Minh Hưng, President of the National Assembly Trần Thanh Mẫn and Standing Member of the CPV Central Committee’s Secretariat Trần Cẩm Tú sent sympathies to General Secretary of the Communist Party of China (CPC) Central Committee and President Xi Jinping, Premier Li Qiang, Chairman of the National People’s Congress Standing Committee Zhao Leji, and Cai Qi, member of the Standing Committee of the Political Bureau of the CPC Central Committee, Secretary of the CPC Central Committee’s Secretariat, and Chief of the CPC Central Committee’s Office.

On the same day, Minister of Foreign Affairs Lê Hoài Trung also sent a message of sympathy to Wang Yi, Director of the Office of the Central Foreign Affairs Commission and Minister of Foreign Affairs of China.

Sixteen people have been killed and 76 others are injured following the devastating 7.0-magnitude earthquake, according to local authorities said.

Chinese President Xi Jinping on Friday has ordered all-out search and rescue efforts for the missing and prompt medical treatment for the injured.

Noting that the affected area is at a high altitude with low temperatures, President Xi stressed the need to closely monitor seismic activity and weather conditions to prevent secondary disasters.

Efforts should be made to properly accommodate the affected residents, repair damaged infrastructure as quickly as possible, and safeguard people's lives and property, Xi said. — VNA/VNS