Dhaka, Bangladesh (BBN) - At least ten people were killed and more than 500 injured when a moderate earthquake struck Bangladesh on Friday morning, shaking Dhaka and several other districts.
The US Geological Survey (USGS) reported the magnitude of the earthquake at 5.5, occurring at 10:38am Bangladesh time, with its epicentre in the Gorashal area of Narsingdi district, approximately 25 kilometres from Dhaka.
The quake originated at a depth of 10 kilometres, according to the USGS.
The Bangladesh Meteorological Department, however, measured the earthquake at 5.7 magnitude.
Casualties were reported from Dhaka, Narsingdi and Narayanganj. In Old Dhaka’s Koshaituli area, three people were killed when the railing of a five-storey building collapsed during the tremor, said Mallik Ahsan Uddin Sami, deputy commissioner of the Lalbagh Division.
In Mugda, a security guard died after the railing of an under-construction building fell on him.
In Narsingdi, five people—including a 10-year-old boy—died in separate incidents in Sadar, Shibpur, and Palash upazilas, according to police and local administration officials.
In Rupganj, Narayanganj, a one-year-old girl was killed and two others, including her mother, were injured when a wall of a tin-shed house collapsed as they were attempting to evacuate during the quake, said Muhammad Torikul Islam, officer-in-charge of Rupganj Police Station.
The deceased were identified as Rafiul Islam (20), Abdur Rahim (48), Mehrab Hossain (12), Maksud (50), Omar (10), Delwar Hossain (37), Kazam Ali Bhuiyan (70), Nasir Uddin (50), Sultan Mia (40), and Fatema (1).
The earthquake triggered widespread panic, prompting rapid evacuations of offices, homes and commercial establishments across Dhaka as alarms and public warnings were raised immediately following the tremor.
BBN/SSR/AD