Tremor felt today was the strongest to date: earthquake expert Humayun Akhtar

The severe tremor caused by the earthquake in Bangladesh today, Friday morning was the strongest ever experienced, according to earthquake expert Professor Humayun Akhtar.

The earthquake struck at 10:38 am this morning. According to the Bangladesh Meteorological Department (BMD), the quake measured 5.7 on the Richter scale, with its epicentre in Madhabdi area of Narsingdi. The BMD has described it as a moderate earthquake.

Meanwhile, the US Geological Survey (USGS) reported the magnitude of the earthquake to be 5.5, with the epicentre located 14 kilometres west-southwest of Narsingdi at a depth of 10 kilometres.

Speaking to Prothom Alo around 11:00 am today, earthquake expert Professor Humayun Akhtar said that, according to data from the European Seismological Centre, the magnitude of the earthquake was 6.

The region where the earthquake originated lies within the Indo-Burma tectonic plate, said professor Humayun Akhtar. He told Prothom Alo that the intensity and violent shaking felt during the quake were, in his experience, the strongest ever recorded in Bangladesh.