Mild quake rattles capital Dhaka
Friday, 21 March 2008
A mild quake rattled the capital city of Dhaka shortly after 7:00pm Wednesday, reports bdnews24.com
The meteorological office could not confirm the magnitude of the quake immediately, but geology professor Syed Humayun Aktar of Dhaka University said the quake registered an intensity of 4.0. The data, available at the earth observatory of the university, said the quake occurred at 7.16pm.
The most recent major quake in Bangladesh jolted the southeastern region of the country on Nov 7 last year. The Meteorological Department described last November's event, centred around Roninpara, about 70km southeast of the Chittagong Seismic Observation Centre, as a strong earthquake measuring 6.0 on the Richter scale. B
angladesh, part of the Bengal basin at the confluence of India, Burma and Eurasia, lies in one of the most seismically active zones of the world. However, a relatively long period of 'rest' from any major seismic activity, and high attention paid to other disasters such as cyclones and floods, have led to neglect of disaster preparedness for earthquakes -- the most destructive of all natural disasters.
The Bangladesh Earthquake Society warned in the past that a major earthquake centred on Dhaka or in its close proximity could destroy 28 per cent of buildings and structures in the capital.
The meteorological office could not confirm the magnitude of the quake immediately, but geology professor Syed Humayun Aktar of Dhaka University said the quake registered an intensity of 4.0. The data, available at the earth observatory of the university, said the quake occurred at 7.16pm.
The most recent major quake in Bangladesh jolted the southeastern region of the country on Nov 7 last year. The Meteorological Department described last November's event, centred around Roninpara, about 70km southeast of the Chittagong Seismic Observation Centre, as a strong earthquake measuring 6.0 on the Richter scale. B
angladesh, part of the Bengal basin at the confluence of India, Burma and Eurasia, lies in one of the most seismically active zones of the world. However, a relatively long period of 'rest' from any major seismic activity, and high attention paid to other disasters such as cyclones and floods, have led to neglect of disaster preparedness for earthquakes -- the most destructive of all natural disasters.
The Bangladesh Earthquake Society warned in the past that a major earthquake centred on Dhaka or in its close proximity could destroy 28 per cent of buildings and structures in the capital.