Bangladesh quake toll climbs to 10, new tremor triggers fresh anxiety

A low-intensity tremor struck Bangladesh on Saturday, a day after a powerful earthquake outside Dhaka left at least 10 people dead and injured several hundred more.

Disaster management official Ishtiaqe Ahmed said that “the number of casualties has reached 10, while a few hundred were injured.” Friday’s 5.5-magnitude quake was felt across Dhaka and neighbouring districts and caused widespread destruction.

On Saturday morning, the national meteorological service recorded another minor jolt. Omar Faruq of the Bangladesh Meteorological Department said the tremor occurred at 10:36 am. He said the 3.3-magnitude quake had its epicentre in Ashulia, north of the capital.

Aftershocks of this kind are typical following major earthquakes, but the latest tremor has increased public fear. Cracks have appeared in dozens of houses in the locality.

The government has activated Bangladesh’s emergency operation centre to examine the extent of the damage and coordinate relief and rescue activities.

According to Rubayet Kabir of the Meteorological Department's Earthquake Observation and Research Centre, Bangladesh’s geographic position makes the country prone to frequent tremors. “That's why we experience earthquakes quite frequently, though they are not as strong as the one on Friday".

“Some small tremors are expected after any major earthquake,” Kabir said. “There has been no massive earthquake in the last 100 years or more, but Bangladesh has been vulnerable for quite some time.”