Earthquake risk haunts Dhaka residents

Syed Shemul Parvez :
Repeated earthquakes in Sylhet have raised new concerns among the common people in Dhaka. Experts said that pre-shocks of earthquakes are generally seen before a major earthquake. “If there is an earthquake of more than seven magnitudes, the capital city will be damaged, they feared.
According to sources, the divisional city of Sylhet has been shaken by several earthquakes recently. Then panic spread all over the country. Experts see the recent frequent earthquake in Sylhet as a major forecast as no major earthquakes have occurred in the last five hundred to one thousand years in the hilly areas of Chattogram from Dauki Fault and Sylhet.
 Meanwhile, a study conducted in 2015-16 has shown that an eight-magnitude earthquake in Dhaka city could kill at least one to two lakh people.
Therefore, the experts advised to test the earthquake resistance of the buildings on an urgent basis. They have emphasized on raising awareness to reduce panic and risk in the minds of the common people due to the earthquake.
 Bangladesh is located at the junction of three moving plates like Indian, Eurasian and Burmese. Sylhet is located at the junction of the Central Indian and Burmese Plates, to the north of which is the Dauki Fault.
As these plates are active and running towards each other, a lot of energy is accumulating there. And this accumulated energy can come out at any time through an earthquake. As a result, Bangladesh is at high risk of earthquakes.
Professor Syed Humayun Akhter, Director of the Dhaka University Earth Observatory and a geologist, told the New Nation that the Habiganj region had an earthquake of 7.5 magnitude in 1918 and a magnitude of 7.6 in 1922. As a result ‘Dauki Fault’ is very active. The Dauki Fault and the Teknaf subduction zone, which has been accumulating energy for thousands of years, could cause more than eight magnitude earthquakes. This energy can come out at once; the geologist said that it may come out partially again.
BUET Professor of Civil Engineering. Delwar Hossain said, “If there is an earthquake of more than seven magnitudes, the structures in different places including Dhaka city will be destroyed.” Because most structures cannot withstand the pressure of more than seven earthquakes.
It is mentionable, that marking the risk consideration in Sylhet, the City Corporation has directed to close at least 21 buildings and markets identified as risky in 2019 for 10 days.
Earlier, a six-storey building in Zindabazar area of the city collapsed due to several earthquakes in Sylhet.