Ground shaking intensity was highest in recent memory: Expert

Earthquake expert Professor Humayun Akhter described the 5.7-magnitude earthquake that jolted Dhaka and other parts of Bangladesh as the biggest in the country’s recent history.

Speaking to Jago News about the post-earthquake situation, he said such a powerful quake has not occurred inside Bangladesh in recent memory. “The intensity of the ground shaking was the highest in recent memory. One of my house-help said the building was swaying like trees sway in the wind,” he added. The depth of the quake was approximately 10 kilometers.

“Our country is earthquake-prone. Today’s earthquake was so intense and powerful because it occurred at the junction where the Burma Plate meets the Indian Plate—Bangladesh lies between these two plates,” he said. “This junction had been locked for a long time, and today’s 5.7-magnitude earthquake released that lock.”

He warned that a larger earthquake may occur in the future. “Today’s quake is a warning. The plate that had been stuck is now beginning to unlock. Bigger earthquakes may strike this region in the coming years, which we have been cautioning about since 2016.”

“We previously forecast that the energy of an 8-magnitude earthquake had accumulated in this region. A small portion of that energy was released today,” he added.

The earthquake was felt at 10:38 am. According to the Meteorological Department, its magnitude was 5.7 on the Richter scale, with the epicenter in Madhabdi of Narsingdi, about 13 kilometers from Dhaka. Officials described it as a moderate earthquake.

Notably, three pedestrians were killed when the railing of a five-story building collapsed during the quake in Koshaituli, Bangshal, Old Dhaka, on Friday morning. A child was also killed when a wall collapsed in Rupganj, Narayanganj.