Earthquake in northeast and our preparedness

THE earthquake that hits the Monipur State in northeast India on Myanmar border and only 351 km away from Dhaka at 6.7 magnitudes has come as an ominous sign of what bigger disaster may hit Bangladesh any time. It hits this part of the subcontinent after a similar massive earthquake hit Nepal repeatedly in 2014 and the shift of the epicenter closer to Bangladesh only looks like a reminder to check our preparedness to face any eventuality of this sort.
Bangladesh is located at a high-risk earthquake zone where the Madhupur Fault is a danger belt of massive destruction that may befall with unprecedented human fatalities even in the event of a moderate to heavy tremor at 7.5 magnitudes and above in and around Dhaka. Experts are regularly making the point at national level demanding comprehensive preparedness to live through such disaster and the fear has been also corroborated by a government study recently at a time when our disaster preparedness stands at very poor level resulting from the government’s incompetence to the lack of proper planning, equipment and training.
The death of over 1100 garment workers from Rana Plaza collapse showed the extent of casualties that might result from a severe jolt in the garment sector alone where tens of thousands of workers at several thousands factories operate day and night in multi-storied buildings. Moreover, Dhaka is a highly congested city with narrow lanes and dilapidated buildings risking heavy casualties and material loss and there is no alternative to comprehensive preparedness to face such disaster.  
The Sunday’s earthquake outside Monipur’s capital Imphol city struck at 57 km depth as the US Geological Survey said. The tremor left six people killed in India and five in Bangladesh, besides many others injured. Despite the low casualties compared to over 15,000 killed in Nepal, besides tens of thousands it left injured and homeless, the shock waves of Imphol earthquake were even felt over thousand kilometers distance in Nepal in the northwest and to Myanmar city of Yangon about 1,175 km to the south. Taking the historic gap of major earthquake in our region over last hundred years experts say we must take the point seriously in planning our preparedness.
It appears that Dhaka experienced a 4-point magnitude shock and Sylhet region at 5 point magnitudes that left the human and material casualties at the lowest. But it could be otherwise as well. Study reports said a 7.5 magnitude shock originating from the Madhupur Fault may totally destroy over 72,316 buildings in Dhaka the city with as many partially damaged. A shock at 8.5 magnitudes may destroy over 238,164 buildings throughout the country and the loss to the economy and infrastructure would run over billions of dollars.
In our view the government must set up a high powered expert committee at national level to look after our preparedness.