Earthquake epicentre: Toll rises to 5 in Narsingdi

The death toll from Friday morning’s earthquake in Narsingdi Sadar, Palash and Shibpur upazilas has risen to five. Among them, a father and son died after a roof collapse in Sadar upazila.

The deceased were identified as Md Delwar Hossain, 37, and his son Md Omar Faruk, 9, of Gabtoli area under Chinishpur Union; Nasir Uddin, 65, of Nayapara in Kazirchar village under Danga Union of Palash; Kazam Ali Bhuiyan, 75, of Malita village under Charsindur Union; and Forkan Mia, 35, of Ajkitola village under Joynagar Union of Shibpur.

Delwar and his son Omar sustained injuries when the roof of their single-storey house collapsed. Both succumbed to their injuries. Nasir Uddin suffered a heart attack during the tremor, while Kazam Ali died after a mud wall collapsed on him.

Confirming the deaths of the father and son, Delwar’s brother Zakir Hossain said, “My brother Delwar died around 5:30 pm at Dhaka Medical College Hospital. Earlier, Omar Faruk died on the way to Dhaka.”

Police and locals said that construction materials from the roof of a nearby multi-storey building shook loose during the quake and crashed onto their house, causing part of the roof to collapse.

At that moment, Delwar, his daughter Tasfia, and son Omar were trying to run out of the house. Debris hit them on the head, leaving them seriously injured. Locals rescued them and rushed them to Narsingdi Sadar Hospital, from where Delwar and Omar were referred to Dhaka Medical College Hospital.

Narsingdi’s Additional Superintendent of Police (Sadar Circle) Anwar Hossain said they had confirmed the child Omar’s death, but were still collecting updates on Delwar’s condition.

In Kazirchar area of Palash upazila, Nasir Uddin, 65, died of a suspected heart attack during the earthquake.

Locals and family members said Nasir was sitting with his relatives when the tremor struck. As the shaking intensified, he felt unwell and collapsed moments later. He was taken to Kaliganj Upazila Health Complex in Gazipur, where physicians declared him dead.

Nasir's son Ainal Mia told Prothom Alo, “Physicians believe my father died of a heart attack. We have brought the body home. Preparations for the funeral are underway.”

In Malita village of Charsindur Union, Kazam Ali Bhuiyan, 75, died when a mud wall of his house collapsed on him. At the time of the incident, he was inside the house with two grandchildren.

Family members said the two grandchildren rushed out of the house in panic as the tremor intensified, but Kazam Ali could not escape in time. A wall collapsed on him. He was rescued and taken first to Palash Upazila Health Complex, and later referred to Narsingdi Sadar Hospital. He died on the way.

Kazam Ali’s cousin Auwal Mia said the funeral would be held after Maghrib prayers at the mosque ground near his home, and preparations for burial at the family graveyard are underway.

Palash police station sub-inspector Rezaul Karim told Prothom Alo that an elderly man died after a mud wall collapsed during the earthquake. He added that they had also learned of another person who died due to illness.

In Ajkitola village of Joynagar Union under Shibpur upazila, Forkan Mia, 35, died after falling from a tree during the earthquake. He passed away in the evening while undergoing treatment at Narsingdi Sadar Hospital.

Confirming his death, Shibpur police station officer-in-charge (OC) Afzal Hossain said Forkan Mia was on a tree when the quake struck. The intense shaking caused him to fall. Family members rushed him to the hospital, where he died in the emergency department in the evening.

The tremor was first felt at 10:38 am on Friday. Parts of the country shook during the quake. The epicentre was in Madhabdi of Narsingdi.

According to the Bangladesh Meteorological Department, the magnitude was 5.7. However, the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) reported the magnitude as 5.5 on the Richter scale.