Bangladesh at high earthquake risk, fire service issues alert
Bangladesh is facing a high risk of earthquakes similar in magnitude to those that recently struck Myanmar and Thailand.
Fire Service and Civil Defence Directorate identified the country's Chattogram, Sylhet, Mymensingh, and Dhaka as the most vulnerable regions.
For all latest news, follow The Daily Star's Google News channel. Two powerful earthquakes, measuring 7.7 and 6.4 on the Richter scale, hit various regions of Myanmar and Thailand yesterday, causing significant damage.
In an official alert issued at 11:12am today, the fire service warned that Bangladesh could experience tremors of similar intensity, particularly in high-risk zones.
The fire service urged the authorities concerned and the public to take proactive measures to mitigate earthquake risks.
It called for the construction of earthquake-resistant buildings in line with the Bangladesh National Building Code 2020 and emphasised the need to strengthen or retrofit vulnerable and ageing structures.
It also stressed the importance of enhancing fire safety measures in high-rise and commercial buildings and ensuring that utility services such as gas, water, and electricity lines remain intact.
To improve preparedness, the agency recommended regular earthquake drills at personal, institutional, and community levels.
It advised that emergency contact numbers, including those of the fire service, ambulance, police, and hospitals, be clearly displayed at homes and workplaces. Additionally, it urged individuals to undergo volunteer training to play an active role during disasters.
Residents were advised to store essential emergency supplies, including torches, radios with extra batteries, whistles, hammers, helmets or cushions, dry food, clean water, medicines, first-aid kits, and baby care items, in a designated area at home.
The fire service called for collective efforts to strengthen earthquake preparedness and urged people to report any emergencies to its media cell at 01722856867, hotline 102, or through its official website.
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