NEW DELHI: A 5.5-magnitude earthquake struck central Bangladesh on Friday, killing at least six people and injuring several, AP reported citing officials. The quake, which shook buildings in Dhaka and sent residents fleeing outdoors, was felt across several parts of the country and in neighbouring regions of India including Kolkata.Also read: West Bengal: Strong tremors jolt Kolkata; no damage reported yetThe US Geological Survey said the earthquake occurred at 10:38 am, with the epicentre located in the Ghorashal area of Narsingdi district, about 25 kilometres from Dhaka, at a depth of 10 kilometres. Dhaka-based DBC Television reported that six people died in the capital, including three who were killed when a roof and a wall collapsed, and three pedestrians who were struck by falling building railings.Authorities said the tremors caused significant panic in Dhaka, one of the world’s most densely populated cities with more than 30,000 people per square kilometre. Bangladesh’s central region is typically less seismically active than the north and southeast, where interactions between the India and Eurasia plates make earthquakes more common.A separate update from ANI said a 5.5-magnitude quake near Narsingdi was felt widely across Dhaka around 10:40 am and also in parts of India including West Bengal and areas of the northeast. The USGS recorded the event at 10:08 am IST. As per the ANI report, “There have been no reports of casualties or damage so far,” though later official updates confirmed fatalities in the capital.Last month, Bangladesh recorded a magnitude 3.4 earthquake, according to the National Centre for Seismology. Experts note that shallow earthquakes can produce stronger surface shaking because seismic waves travel a shorter distance.Citing USGS figures, The Daily Star reported that a magnitude 4.0 earthquake releases energy equivalent to about 6 tons of TNT, while a magnitude 5.0 quake corresponds to around 200 tons. The energy rises steeply with each magnitude, with a 7.0 quake equalling nearly 199,000 tons of TNT and a 9.0 quake releasing about 99 million tons, comparable to roughly 25,000 nuclear bombs.Bangladesh sits at the junction of the Indian, Eurasian and Burma plates, which move several centimetres each year. The country is intersected by major faults including the Bogura, Tripura, Shillong Plateau, Dauki and Assam faults, placing it within 13 recognised earthquake-prone zones. Regions such as Chattogram, the Chattogram Hill Tracts and Jaintiapur in Sylhet fall within the highest-risk category.Visuals from Dhaka on Friday showed emergency teams assessing damage as authorities monitored aftershocks and structural impacts across the capital.(With inputs from AP and ANI)
