At least five people, including a child, were killed and more than 100 injured after a 5.7-magnitude earthquake jolted central Bangladesh, damaging buildings in the capital Dhaka, authorities said.
The earthquake struck in the Ghorashal area of Narsingdi district, nearly 25km from Dhaka, at a shallow depth of 10km on Friday morning, the US Geological Survey said.
Three pedestrians were killed when building railings fell on them in the capital, police said, adding that several people were injured in isolated incidents of parts of buildings coming loose.
Two of the victims died on the spot while another succumbed to injuries after being taken to Mitford Hospital, Dhaka police officer Ashish Kumar Ghosh said.
It was not immediately known how the other two victims died and where.
The ongoing test cricket match between Bangladesh and Ireland was briefly halted after the tremors jolted the Sher-e-Bangla National Stadium in Mirpur. “Goodness. Play has stopped here due to a minor tremor/earthquake,” Cricket Ireland said on X.
“We felt a strong jolt and buildings were shaking like trees," Suman Rahman, a Dhaka resident, told Reuters.
“Staircases were jammed as people rushed down. Everyone was terrified, children were crying."
The US Geological Survey said the earthquake was caused by reverse faulting at a shallow depth within the Indian Plate.
Muhammad Yunus, head of the South Asian country's interim government, urged people to remain calm as authorities assessed the damage.
"Everyone is urged to remain alert and not pay attention to any kind of rumours or misinformation," he said in a statement. "Further guidance will be provided through hotlines and official channels if necessary. We remain committed to ensuring the safety of all citizens."
Tremors were also felt across the border in the Indian cities of Kolkata, Guwahati, Agartala, and Shillong. However, no damage was reported.
While northern and southeastern Bangladesh are known for their seismic activity due to tectonic interactions between the Indian and Eurasian plates, central Bangladesh is generally considered more seismically quiet.
Since 1950, only 14 earthquakes of magnitude 5.5 or greater, including two magnitude 6 events, have been recorded within 250km of the area affected by the tremor on Friday.
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