5.7-Magnitude Earthquake Strikes Central Bangladesh, Tremors Felt Across Kolkata
Massive Bangladesh earthquake triggers widespread panic across Kolkata and south Bengal.
A forceful 5.7-magnitude earthquake originating in central Bangladesh struck at exactly 10:08 am on Friday, unleashing prolonged and intense tremors that swept through Kolkata and multiple districts of southern West Bengal, catching millions of residents off guard during peak morning activity.
The Indian Meteorological Department pinpointed the epicentre 13 kilometres south-southwest of Narsingdi town in Dhaka division, at a dangerously shallow focal depth of only 10 kilometres. Such shallow earthquakes typically produce stronger surface shaking over a wider radius, explaining why the impact was felt as far as South 24 Parganas, North 24 Parganas, Howrah, Hooghly, and parts of East Midnapore.
In Kolkata, high-rise office towers along Park Street, Salt Lake Sector V, and New Town swayed visibly for nearly 20 seconds, triggering automatic alarms and forcing frantic evacuations. Terrified residents in older residential blocks in central and north Kolkata rushed down narrow staircases, while school authorities in several institutions immediately moved thousands of students to open grounds following strict earthquake safety protocols.
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As of now, the Kolkata Police, West Bengal Disaster Management Department, and civic bodies have received no confirmed reports of casualties, collapsed structures, or major damage. Rapid visual inspections of critical infrastructure including bridges, metro rail elevated sections, and heritage buildings are underway, with structural engineers deployed to examine any hairline cracks that may have developed in ageing masonry.
Seismologists have cautioned that the tectonic stress release along the active Dauki fault system and adjacent micro-plates could generate moderate aftershocks in the coming hours or days. Authorities have urged citizens to stay away from weak or under-construction buildings, keep emergency kits ready, and immediately report any signs of structural distress to civic helplines while monitoring official updates.
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