Bangladesh jolted by 5.5 earthquake

A medium intensity earthquake has been felt across Bangladesh.

US Geological Survey says it measured 5.5 on the Richter scale but Indian Met Department said the intensity was 5.7. 

The epicentre was at Tripura’s Ambassa, 170 kilometres northeast of Dhaka and originated at a depth of 36 kilometres.

The jolt was felt at 3:09pm, said Prof Syed Humayun Akhtar of the earth observatory in Dhaka University. The tremor lasted for about four to five seconds.

There was panic as buildings began to shake. Many had evacuated and were seen outside in the streets. No casualties were reported yet, officials said.

Tremors of intensity 4 to 4.99 on the Richter scale are categorised as 'mild', those between 5 and 5.99 as 'moderate' and those between 6 and 6.99 are classified as 'strong'.
 
Earthquakes measuring 7 and above are classed as 'major' while those measuring 8 and above are known as 'great and greater'.

The seven northeastern Indian states – Assam, Meghalaya, Mizoram, Tripura, Nagaland, Arunachal Pradesh and Manipur – are considered by seismologists as the sixth major earthquake-prone belt in the world.

The region experienced an earthquake measuring 8.7 on the Richter scale in 1897.

Over 1,600 people had died in that quake specially in the undivided Assam province and the royal palace in Agartala was completely destroyed.

Source: bdnews24