Staff Reporter :
An earthquake was felt in the capital, Dhaka, and surrounding areas early Thursday morning, continuing a series of aftershocks following the major earthquake on November 21 in Narsingdi.
At 6:14am, the tremors were felt, and according to the Bangladesh Meteorological Department, the earthquake was of a light magnitude.
The epicenter was located in Shibpur, Narsingdi, at a depth of 30 kilometers beneath the Earth’s surface, with a magnitude of 4.1 on the Richter scale.
The epicenter was 38 kilometers northeast of the Bangladesh Meteorological Department’s seismic observation center in Agargaon, Dhaka.
According to the Euro-Mediterranean Seismological Centre, the quake’s origin was 33 kilometers northeast of Gazipur’s Tongi and 3 kilometers north of Narsingdi.
This comes after a series of tremors in recent days, including a larger earthquake on December 1, measuring 4.9 on the Richter scale, originating in Myanmar’s Minjin region, which was felt in parts of the country, including Chittagong.
Another mild earthquake had been recorded on November 27, originating from Narsingdi’s Polash upazila, measuring 3.6 on the Richter scale.
But the November 21 earthquake, measuring 5.7 on the Richter scale, was the most destructive in recent weeks. The epicenter of the earthquake was in Narsinghdi.
It caused widespread damage, with over 600 people injured and 10 fatalities. Buildings, including those in the capital, were severely affected, with cracks appearing in many structures.
The government has since called for increased awareness and urged citizens not to panic. The Fire Service and Civil Defence issued safety guidelines, stressing the importance of open spaces in the event of tremors.
Experts continue to emphasise the vulnerability of the region, particularly Dhaka, which has over 2.1 million high-risk buildings.
Discussions are ongoing among government officials and experts on how to mitigate the effects of such earthquakes in the future.
Authorities have urged the public to remain alert, follow safety protocols, and avoid panic in the face of these recurring tremors.
