KOLKATA: On Friday morning, a significant earthquake measuring 5.7 on the Richter scale struck near Dhaka, the capital of Bangladesh. The quake, which hit at 10:08 am local time, was located approximately 13 km south-southwest of Narsingdi and occurred at a depth of 10 km, as reported by the US Geological Survey (USGS).
Residents in Kolkata and various regions across Northeast India felt the tremors, prompting many to rush outdoors as a safety precaution. Reports indicate that the shaking in Kolkata occurred around 10:10 am and lasted only a few seconds. Almost immediately, videos capturing the tremor began to circulate on social media. Mild tremors were also experienced in Guwahati, Agartala, and Shillong, with no immediate reports of injuries or damage being noted.
In October, a lesser quake of magnitude 3.4 had been recorded in Bangladesh, according to the National Centre for Seismology (NCS). Such shallow quakes can lead to stronger shaking due to shorter seismic wave travel distances to the surface. While earthquakes occur globally approximately every 30 seconds, most are minor and go unnoticed.
Bangladesh is situated at the intersection of three tectonic plates—the Indian, Eurasian, and Burma plates. The Indian plate moves northeast at about 6 cm annually, while the Eurasian plate shifts northward at roughly 2 cm each year. The country is riddled with several major fault lines including the Bogura, Tripura, Dauki, and Assam faults, categorizing it within 13 earthquake-prone zones. Areas like Chattogram, the Chattogram Hill Tracts, and Jaintiapur in Sylhet are particularly high-risk.
Due to its dense population of over 30,000 people per square kilometre, Dhaka is not only one of the densest cities globally but also ranks among the 20 cities most vulnerable to earthquakes. This latest event is a reminder of the ongoing seismic risks that affect the region, highlighting the importance of preparedness and resilience in urban planning and response mechanisms.