A 5. 5 magnitude earthquake in central Bangladesh kills at least 7 people

A powerful earthquake measuring 5.5 magnitude struck central Bangladesh on Friday morning, resulting in the deaths of at least seven individuals and injuring dozens more, according to local authorities and media reports. The tremor caused buildings in Dhaka, the nation’s capital, to shake violently, forcing many residents to flee their homes and rush into the streets amid panic. The quake occurred at 10:38 a.m., with its epicenter located in the Ghorashal area within the Narsingdi district, approximately 25 kilometers (16 miles) northeast of Dhaka. The United States Geological Survey (USGS) reported the earthquake’s depth at about 10 kilometers (6 miles). Coverage from Dhaka-based DBC Television revealed that among the deceased were two children, highlighting the tragedy’s impact on families. Most fatalities were caused by collapsing roofs and walls, with one particularly tragic incident involving a building’s railings falling onto shoppers at a butcher’s shop in Armanitola, a historic part of Dhaka’s old city. Three individuals lost their lives in this event and were later declared dead at the hospital, as reported by the Prothom Alo newspaper. Eyewitness Mohammed Arif described hearing a loud noise before seeing bricks fall and people getting hurt. Emergency services responded quickly, with firefighters dispatched to various locations where buildings were reported to be tilting dangerously, and to a fire that broke out in the Baridhara neighborhood of Dhaka. Television footage showed distraught family members anxiously awaiting news and comforting injured victims at medical facilities, including the Dhaka Medical College Hospital. Students at Dhaka University were so frightened by the shaking that many jumped from upper floors of their dormitories to escape the danger. Although Bangladesh's northern and southeastern regions are known for seismic activity due to tectonic interactions between the Indian and Eurasian plates, the central region where this quake struck is typically less active. The USGS noted that since 1950, only 14 earthquakes with magnitudes of 5.5 or higher have occurred within 250 kilometers (156 miles) of this site, including two quakes measuring magnitude 6. Experts warn that Bangladesh, home to approximately 170 million people, remains vulnerable and underprepared for stronger earthquakes that could cause widespread devastation. The recent event underscores the urgent need for better infrastructure, disaster readiness, and public awareness to mitigate the potential impacts of future seismic events.