A moderate earthquake jolted Dhaka and several other parts of Bangladesh this morning, prompting residents to rush outdoors in alarm as buildings shook across the capital.
According to Meteorologist Tariful Newaz Kabir of the Bangladesh Meteorological Department, the 5.7-magnitude quake struck at 10:10 AM, with its epicentre located in Madhabdi under Narsingdi district.
In Dhaka, the tremor was felt strongly for a few seconds, causing high-rise buildings to sway. The tremors were also felt across Kolkata, Assam and other parts of the North Eastern region.
Offices, homes, and commercial buildings saw rapid evacuations as alarms and shouts filled the streets.
According to Tariful Newaz Kabir, meteorologist at the Bangladesh Meteorological Department, the tremor measured magnitude 5.7 with its epicentre in Madhabdi of Narsingdi.
The US Geological Survey (USGS), however, recorded it slightly lower at magnitude 5.5, placing the epicentre about 14 km west-southwest of Narsingdi.
A tragic accident occurred in Koshaituli of Old Dhaka, where the railing of a five-storey building collapsed during the tremor. Three people were killed, confirmed Mollik Ahsan Uddin Sami, deputy commissioner of Lalbagh Division.
The victims were rushed to Mitford Hospital, where doctors declared them dead, said Ashis Kumar Ghosh, duty officer at Bangshal police station.
Their identities had not been confirmed as of filing time. Police and fire service personnel are working at the site.
In a separate incident in Rupganj, Narayanganj, a one-year-old girl died, and two others—including her mother—were injured when a wall of a tin-shed house collapsed during the quake.