A 5.5-magnitude earthquake struck Bangladesh on Friday morning, killing at least five people, including one child, and injuring more than 450 others across the country.
The quake, which occurred at 10:38 a.m. local time and lasted approximately 26 seconds, had its epicenter near Narsingdi, roughly 30 kilometers northeast of Dhaka.
Residents in the densely populated capital rushed out of buildings as structures shook violently, with some makeshift constructions collapsing.
Panic triggered a stampede at Dhaka University, injuring at least 10 students.
At least three deaths occurred in Dhaka’s Armanitola area when debris and a railing fell from a five-storey building.
Gazipur district, north of Dhaka, reported the highest number of injuries at 252, while the national total reached 461 according to the government’s monitoring division.
Authorities stated that rescue operations from rubble were not required on a large scale, with efforts focused on assessing casualties and structural damage.
Tremors were felt in neighboring eastern Indian states and as far as Kolkata, though no major damage was reported there.
The shaking interrupted normal activities, including temporarily halting Ireland’s second cricket Test match in Dhaka for three minutes as players and spectators sought safety.
Environmental adviser Syeda Rizwana Hasan described it as the most powerful earthquake felt in Bangladesh in the past five years.
Residents recounted intense fear, with many reporting furniture shaking and buildings swaying dramatically.
The quake underscored Bangladesh’s seismic vulnerability due to its proximity to active tectonic plate boundaries, despite earthquakes of this strength remaining relatively uncommon.