Dhaka jolted by early morning earthquake

Bangla Press Desk:   An earthquake shook Dhaka and the surrounding areas at 6:15am on Thursday morning.

According to the Indian Center for Seismology, the tremor had a 4.1 magnitude on the Richter Scale. The epicenter of the quake was Narsingdi. USGS had yet to report on it.

Bangladesh faces a high risk of major earthquakes due to its location along three active tectonic plate faults, experts warned recently following major tremors, stressing that preparedness, public awareness and modern technology are crucial to reducing casualties and damage.

The most recent earthquake before this occurred on Monday (1 December). It measured 4.9 on the Richter scale. Its epicenter was in Minzini, Myanmar. The quake was felt in Chattogram and several other parts of the country.

Earlier on 27 November, an earthquake occurred in Dhaka. According to the Meteorological Department, it measured 3.6 on the Richter scale. Its epicenter was in Ghorashal of Palash Upazila in Narsingdi. That same day, tremors were also felt twice in the early morning in Sylhet and in Teknaf of Cox’s Bazar.

Before that, on 21 November, and the following Saturday, four earthquakes occurred within about 31 hours in Dhaka and its surrounding areas. Among these, on Friday morning, the 5.7-magnitude earthquake—located about 25 kilometers from Dhaka—had its epicenter in Madhabdi, Narsingdi. The depth of the epicenter was 10 kilometers beneath the earth’s surface. Ten people were killed and more than six hundred were injured in the 21 November quake.

BP/TD