NewKerala.com

4.0 Magnitude Earthquake Strikes Bangladesh, Aftershocks Possible

An earthquake measuring 4.0 on the Richter scale struck Bangladesh at a shallow depth of 10 kilometers, making aftershocks a concern. Shallow earthquakes are particularly dangerous as their seismic waves cause stronger ground shaking near the surface. The country is seismically active as it sits at the convergence of the Indian, Eurasian, and Burma tectonic plates. With 13 earthquake-prone zones, cities like densely populated Dhaka are among the world's most vulnerable to major seismic events.

Key Points: Bangladesh Earthquake: Magnitude 4.0 Quake Hits

  • Magnitude 4.0 quake at 10km depth
  • Shallow quakes cause stronger ground shaking
  • Bangladesh sits on three tectonic plates
  • 13 earthquake-prone areas in the country
  • Dhaka among world's most vulnerable cities
2 min read

Earthquake of magnitude 4.0 strikes Bangladesh

A shallow 4.0 magnitude earthquake struck Bangladesh. Learn about the seismic risks, tectonic plates, and vulnerable cities in the region.

"Shallow earthquakes are generally more dangerous than deep earthquakes. - The Daily Star"

Dhaka, February 11

An earthquake of magnitude 4.0 struck Bangladesh on Tuesday, a statement by the National Centre for Seismology said.

The earthquake occurred at a shallow depth of 10km, making it susceptible to aftershocks.

In a post on X, the NCS said, "EQ of M: 4.0, On: 10/02/2026 17:02:32 IST, Lat: 25.08 N, Long: 91.94 E, Depth: 10 Km, Location: Bangladesh."

Shallow earthquakes are generally more dangerous than deep earthquakes. This is because the seismic waves from shallow earthquakes have a shorter distance to travel to the surface, resulting in stronger ground shaking and potentially more damage to structures and greater casualties.

It is estimated that an earthquake occurs every 30 seconds somewhere on Earth. But the bulk of those are too weak to be identified. A magnitude of 4.0 earthquake is only equivalent to about 6 tons of TNT explosives, but because the Richter scale is a base-10 logarithmic scale, the amount of energy released increases exponentially: A magnitude 5.0 earthquake is about 200 tons of TNT, 7.0 is 199,000 tons, and 9.0 is 99,000,000 tons of TNT, The Daily Star reported.

About 99 million tons of TNT is enough to wipe out just about anything, and is the equivalent of about 25,000 nuclear bombs, according to USGS.

Bangladesh sits where the three tectonic plates - Indian-Eurasia-Burma - meet. Currently, the Indian plate is moving in the north-east at a speed of approximately 6cm per year and the Eurasian plate is moving north at a speed of 2cm per year above the Indian plate. There are five major fault zones in and around Bangladesh, namely Bogura fault zone, Tripura fault zone, Shilong Plateau, Dauki fault zone and Assam fault zone, The Daily Star reported.

Thus, Bangladesh is a location of 13 earthquake prone areas, and Chattogram, Chattogram Hill Tracts, and Jaintiapur of Sylhet remain in extreme risk zones. In 2022, Dhaka, the capital of Bangladesh, with 30,093 residents per square kilometer was among cities with the highest population density in the world. And has been marked as one of the 20 cities most vulnerable to earthquakes in the world, as per The Daily Star.

- ANI

Share this article:

Reader Comments

A
Arjun K
The tectonic plate data is concerning for us in Northeast India as well. We share the same fault lines. Authorities in both countries need to collaborate on early warning systems and disaster preparedness. Safety knows no borders.
D
David E
The comparison to TNT and nuclear bombs really puts the scale into perspective. A 4.0 is minor, but the exponential increase in energy is terrifying. The high population density in Dhaka makes even a moderate quake a major humanitarian crisis.
R
Rohit P
Shallow depth of 10km is the real worry here. Hope the buildings there are constructed with some earthquake-resistant standards. In our metros like Delhi and Mumbai, we are also sitting on a ticking time bomb with poor construction quality. Jai Hind.
S
Sarah B
While the article is informative, it feels a bit alarmist towards the end. Yes, the risk is high, but constant fear-mongering doesn't help. The focus should be on practical steps for citizens and improving infrastructure resilience.
K
Karthik V
The stats about Dhaka's population density are chilling. It's a wake-up call for all South Asian cities. Urban planning and enforcing building codes are not luxuries, they are necessities for survival. We must learn from Japan's preparedness.

We welcome thoughtful discussions from our readers. Please keep comments respectful and on-topic.

Leave a Comment

Minimum 50 characters 0/50