An earthquake jolted Bangladesh on Saturday morning, sending tremors that were felt across the country. No damage or injuries were immediately reported.
The 5.5 magnitude earthquake struck the South Asian nation at 9:35 a.m., the United States Geological Survey said. The tremor had a depth of 10 kilometers (6 miles) with the epicenter about 8 kilometers (5 miles) east of Ramganj in the southeastern Bangladeshi district Lakshmipur, according to the USGS.
Many Bangladeshis wrote on Facebook that they were scared after the quake shook buildings in the capital, Dhaka, and elsewhere. Bangladesh has experienced several earthquakes this year, including one that struck along the border of northeast India in August.
The affected buildings include Kazi Nazrul Islam Hall, Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman Hall, and Nawab Faizunnissa Chaudhurani Hall, — and have prompted anxiety among students.
Bangabandhu Hall provost Tofael Hossain Majumder confirmed the matter to The Business Standard following his visit to the affected halls to assess the damage and said "We will immediately discuss the matter with the engineering department of the university to inspect the issue."
According to the National Center for Seismology, the earthquake took place in southeastern Bangladesh at a depth of 55 km at 9.05 am.
"Earthquake of Magnitude: 5.6, Occurred on 02-12-2023, 09:05:31 IST, Lat: 23.15 & Long: 90.89, Depth: 55 Km, Location: Bangladesh, India," the NCS said on X.
West Bengal Disaster Management Department said that as of now, no damage has been reported from anywhere in the state.
Officials may temporarily shut down transportation infrastructure in the tremor zone to check for damage. Minor disruptions could occur during shutdowns, but service will likely resume quickly if no damage is found. Utility outages are possible, particularly near the earthquake's epicenter.
Ladakh also recorded an earthquake at 8:25 AM with a magnitude of 3.4 on the Richter scale, originating from a depth of 10 kilometres below the surface.
While the quake has stirred concern, authorities have clarified that there is no immediate threat of collapse.
The earthquake has interrupted ongoing consolidation works, prompting the swift establishment of exclusion zones to ensure public safety.
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