Dhaka, Bangladesh (BBN)-A strong earthquake measuring 7.5 on the Richter Scale jolted different parts of Bangladesh Saturday afternoon.
Two persons including a women school teacher died as panic gripped them during the earthquake in Dhaka and Pabna, reports Channel 24, a private television channel of Bangladesh.
However no reports of major damage of casualties were found so far.
Reports of minor injuries and building damage came from Dhaka, Savar, Khulna, Mymensingh, Comilla, Chandpur and Rajshahi.
The country was also shaken twice by aftershock in a span of nearly 50 minutes after the earthquake, people in Dhaka reported to the BBN said.
The USGS reported aftershocks at strengths of 6.6 and 5.1.
The quake was felt in Chittagong, Savar, Rangpur, Pabna, Tangail, Mymensingh, Kishoreganj, Munshiganj, Jessore, Dinajpur and Chuadanga.
The earthquake that was felt at 12:11:25pm, according to the US Geological Survey (USGS).
USGS however upgraded the magnitude of the quake to 7.9 from 7.5 at the epicenter which is 29km ESE of Lamjung in Nepal.
Earlier, the USGS reported that he epicenter of the temblor was in 35 kilometer east of Lamjung in Nepal.
The earthquake was felt in Bangladesh at 12:11:27pm, said Ruhul Kuddus, an official of Bangladesh Meteorological Department, told the BBN.
It was centred some 745 kilometer north-west side from the Dhaka Seismic Centre in Nepal, the official added.
The earthquake stayed for few minutes, sending panic among people.
Meanwhile, an earthquake was also felt in the north-east part of India, Nepal and Pakistan.
Panic people came out of their residences, offices and shops and gathered on nearby roads and streets.
Media reports said: A person died in panic in Pabna during the earthquake.
Buildings were damaged in the Shankharibazar and Bangabazar of the capital Dhaka.
A two-storey building was tilted in Barabazar area of Khulan.
Ten people were injured when the rooftop of a primary school caved-in in Dhobayura of Mymensingh during the quake.
Twenty-five garments workers were injured when they were rushed into stairway to make their way out in panic.
Ten more people were injured when everybody were trying to came out their factory in a hurry in Comilla EPZ area.
Eight people sustained injuries while panic seized the students of Rajshahi Womens’ College and they were trying to come out of the college building in hurry.
A building was tilted and another developed cracks in Chandpur.
CNN reports: A massive 7.9 magnitude earthquake has struck Nepal less than 50 miles from the capital, Kathmandu, the U.S. Geological Survey said Saturday.
Witnesses said people were killed and injured, and historic buildings in Kathmandu had been brought down.
CNN’s Manesh Shrestha, who was himself injured, said he saw five bodies at a hospital. People with severe injuries were being treated outside, with doctors administering CPR on at least one person, Shrestha said.
It’s quite chaotic,” he said.Avalanches were reported on Mount Everest.
The quake occurred at a depth of less than two miles, which is considered shallow, and potentially more damaging than quakes emanating from deeper down.
The USGS previously rated the temblor at 7.5 magnitude but later upgraded the strength. The USGS reported aftershocks at strengths of 6.6 and 5.1.
‘SEVERE,’ ‘VIOLENT’
The shaking was felt by people who contacted the USGS as “severe” to “violent,” nearly the highest rating on the intensity scale.
Tremors were felt as far as New Delhi, more than 200 miles away in neighboring India. An official said it was felt there at magnitude 5.0.
The shaking was rated as “strong” to “severe” on the USGS ShakeMap. CNN sister network CNN-IBN is reporting that buildings are down and roads are out.
IBN reporter K. Dhiksit looked out his window in Kathmandu and saw the walls of many buildings down.
As he watched, an aftershock rattled his street. He said he heard “big booming sounds,” as well. People ran out into the streets, he said.
Photos of caved-in and toppled buildings appeared on social media.
India’s Prime Minister Narendra Modi said in a tweet, “We are in the process of finding more information and are working to reach out to those affected, both at home & in Nepal.”
Kanak Masni, a journalist in Kathmandu, told CNN by telephone that this appeared to be “the most massive earthquake to hit central Nepal since 1934.”
Times of India reports: Massive tremors were felt on Saturday morning in Delhi, Lucknow, Kolkata and other parts of northern India.
Tremors were also felt in Ranchi, Jaipur, Guwahati and parts of Uttar Pradesh.
There are no reports of any casualty as of now.
The epicentre of the earthquake is reported to be in Nepal.
Some buildings have collapsed in Nepal capital Kathmandu, Reuters reported.
The Delhi Metro, which had stopped its trains, has resumed services again.
Geotv reports: A strong earthquake struck Nepal on Saturday with tremors being felt in Pakistan and New Delhi.
The earthquake measuring 7.7 magnitude struck 80 km (50 miles) east of Pokhara in Nepal, about half way between the town and the capital Kathmandu, the US Geological Survey said.
Images posted on social media showed massive cracks in roads and buildings collapsed in Kathmandu.
In Pakistan tremors were felt in several cities including Peshawar, Islamabad and Lahore.
Tremors were felt in Indian cities including Jaipur, Patna and New Delhi.