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Major quake risk deepens: Experts

BSS, Dhaka
Risk of occurring major earthquake in the country was deepening as tremors hit adjacent regions frequently, experts told the news agency yesterday.
Prof Dr Mehedi Ahmed Ansary of the Department of Civil Engineering at the Bangladesh University of Engineering and Technology (Buet) said a major earthquake might hit the country at any time as no strong tremoroccurred in the regionsince 1950.
Historically the region is quake-prone one of the world and it experienced major tremors in the past, he added.
“We have only 150-year history of earthquake. But we do not have any information of quakes, which occurred before 200 or 300 years ago.” Prof Mehedi feared that the longtime silence of not occurring earthquake in the region was deepening the possibility of major earthquake.
He said the country was shaken by seven major earthquakes Cachar earthquake of 7.5 magnitude in 1869, Bengal earthquake of 7 magnitude in 1885, great Indian earthquake of 8.7 magnitude, Srimangal earthquake of 7.6 in 1918, Dhubri earthquake of 7.1 in 1930, Bihar-Nepal earthquake of 8.3 magnitude in 1934 and Assam earthquake of 8.5 magnitude in 1950.
Meteorologist Md Mominul Islam of Bangladesh Meteorological Department (BMD) said the country witnessed the shaking of eight earthquakes till yesterday this year while 29 in 2011,18 in 2010,22 in
2009 and 26 in2008.
Mentioning different major quakes that hit the country in the past, he said Bangladesh might experience a major jolt at any time as it lies in the quake prone-zone.
Mominul said the Indian state Assam experienced a shallow category earthquake of 5.3 magnitude on the Richter scale yesterday.
The two quakes, one hit Sikkim and Bhutan in the last year and another hit Assam yesterday, had increased quake risk as epicentre of the tremor was very close to Bangladesh, he added.
The most dangerous side of quake was sallow category, Mominul said adding that intensity of the sallow category quake was so high that could damage longdistance areas.
Both of the experts agreed that the country would face a catastrophic situation, if major earthquake with sallow depth hit its nearby areas.
Prof Mehedi said a strong earthquake within 300 to 500 kilometres of Dhaka city would damage almost 50 percent buildings claiming huge number of lives and destroying vast property.
“We should intensify our preparation to cut quake risk. Otherwise, any major tremor will create a terrible situation for the country,” he added.
Most of the city dwellers were still not following building code, which was a big threat to minimising earthquake risk, Prof Mehedi said Rajdhani Unnayan Kartripakkha (Rajuk) was not aware enough of enforcing building code in the capital city.
Citing the example of America and India, he suggested Rajuk could appoint private consultation firms to monitor the construction works, which would ensure quake resistant buildings.
National Project Director of Comprehensive Disaster Management Programme (CDMP) Mohammad Abdul Qayyum recently said: “Under the CDMR we are taking various steps to cut earthquake risk in three major cities of the country Dhaka, Chittagong and Sylhet.”
He said equipment of Tk 70 crore had already been handed over to the Armed Forces Division and Fire Service and Civil Defense to conduct rescue operation during the quake and equipment of Tk 100 crore was in the pipeline for handing over to the departments concerned.
The government had a plan to train 62,000 volunteers for carrying out rescue operation during the earthquake in Dhaka, Chittagong and Sylhet, Qayyum said adding nearly 10,000 people had already been given training and the rest would be trained in phases.
Under the CDMR the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare was strengthening its capacity to set up temporary medical centres in the capital for the earthquake victims, he added.
“We have recommended to the Ministry of Housing and Public Works to enforce building code strictly for constructing quake resistant buildings in Dhaka city and areas of the country for minimising loses oflives and property,” Qayyum added.