An earthquake with a preliminary magnitude of 5.5 struck central Bangladesh on Friday, killing at least six people and injuring hundreds, according to authorities and local media. In the capital, Dhaka, buildings shook during the tremor, causing residents to rush into the streets in panic.
The quake occurred at 10:38 a.m. local time (0438 GMT) and had its epicenter in the Ghorashal area of Narsingdi district, about 25 kilometers (16 miles) from Dhaka. The U.S. Geological Survey reported that the earthquake had a preliminary depth of 10 kilometers (6 miles).
According to Dhaka-based DBC Television, at least six people died, including two children. Three were killed when a building’s roof and wall collapsed, and three pedestrians were killed when falling railings struck them in Dhaka.
In one incident in Armanitola, a part of Dhaka’s old city, three people were outside buying meat when railings and concrete debris fell on them. They were taken to a hospital but were declared dead, Prothom Alo newspaper reported.