The Bangladeshi government has stated that the 5.7 magnitude earthquake that struck on Friday (November 21) has resulted in at least five deaths and approximately a hundred injuries. Buildings in densely populated areas such as the capital Dhaka have been damaged.
According to officials from the Bangladesh Meteorological Department, the earthquake, with a magnitude of 5.7, epicentered in the Madhabdi area of Narsingdi, with tremors also felt in the Dhaka region.
The measurement released by the United States Geological Survey indicated the earthquake as a magnitude 5.5, occurring at 10:38 am on Friday. The depth of the epicenter was 10 kilometers (6 miles).
Reuters reported that among the five casualties was a child. The neighboring country of India also experienced tremors, but Indian authorities have stated that there have been no reports of significant damage.
Temporary Bangladeshi leader Muhammad Yunus mentioned that the injured individuals include students from Dhaka University, factory workers in Gazipur, and residents of Narsingdi.
Yunus did not provide details of the five fatalities in his statement. Prior to this, the police had reported that during the earthquake, a six-story building’s railing collapsed, leading to the death of three individuals.
In a statement, the office of the interim government leader expressed that they are closely monitoring the situation and have instructed various departments to strengthen rescue operations in the affected areas.
Health consultant Nurjahan Begum informed the media that several critically injured individuals being transported from Narsingdi, approximately 40 kilometers (25 miles) east of Dhaka, to hospitals are in a critical condition.
Eyewitnesses told Reuters that during the earthquake, residents of Dhaka rushed out of their homes, buildings shook, and some makeshift houses collapsed.
“I have never experienced such a strong tremor in my life. We were in the office at that time, and suddenly the furniture started shaking. We quickly ran down the stairs to the street and saw many people already outside,” said Sadman Sakib, who works in Dhaka, to Reuters.
The fire department stated that bricks and loose cement fell from some under-construction buildings, causing injuries to people.