Nepal hard hit by the quake

An earthquake with five aftershocks shook different parts of the country including Dhaka and Chittagong on Saturday, leaving three women dead, over 100 others injured, some 18 buildings tilted and developed cracks.
The quake took place around 12 hours 11 minutes 27.2 seconds measuring 7.5 magnitude on the Richter Scale in the epicenter at Pokhra in Nepal, Md Mominul Islam, officer-in-charge of Seismic Observatory and Research Centre told newsmen.
The impact of the earthquake, five aftershocks measuring on the Richter Scale 6.4, 5.0, 5.4, 5.4 and 4.07 magnitude, have also been felt.

People went out of almost all the high-rise buildings in Dhaka to stay alive. Roads were full of panicked city dwellers.

The earthquake was also felt in Nepal and northern India. Over 750 people were killed after toppling a 19th-century tower in the Nepalese capital Kathmandu, according to the home ministry of Nepal. So far, no Bangladeshi national has been reported injured till filing of this report, Foreign Ministry of Bangladesh sources said.
The quake jolted Bangladesh’s Pabna, Sirajganj, Rajshahi, Panchagar, Gaibandha, Joypurhat, Thakurgaon, Chandpur, Habiganj, Jamalpur, Kushtia, Narayanganj, Lalmonirhat ,Nilphamari, Kurigram, Mymensingh, Faridpur and some others districts.
At least three women were killed in Pabna, Bogra and Tangail, and over 200 others were injured at different parts of the country.
Following the tremblor, many people mainly women and children became panicked and came out of different houses, business establishments, educational institutes and multi-storied buildings for a safer place.
No major damages have been reported from anywhere of the country. Some buildings have been tilted and cracks on some building have also been developed in impact of the earthquake at different districts.
According to Fire Service and Civil Defence, some buildings out of 18 buildings have been tilted and some others cracked at different parts of the country.
Cracks have been developed in two buildings and six other buildings were tilted, most of them slightly, at Bangshal, Nawabpur, Baridhara, Lalbagh, Shyamoli, Mirpur and Banani in Dhaka, the sources said.
However, Rokeya Khan, 68, secretary of Pabna municipality Mohila League, became panicked and died of heart attack at embankment road area of Pabna town.
A housewife, Parina Akhter, 22, died from panic during the earthquake at Syedpur areas under Mirzapur Upazila in Tangail district, while Morsheda Begum, 55, died after wall of a cattle house collapsed on her in impact of the earthquake at Unahat Singra under Duchachia Upazila of Bogra district.
In Dhaka, a student of Dhaka University (DU), Md Nasir, 27, a student of Eden Mohila College, Sumaiya Akhter, 22, and an employee of Bangabazar Market, Nishan, 21, suffered injuries as they tried to come out hurriedly during the tremor. They were rushed to emergency department of Dhaka Medical College (DMCH) for treatment.
The earthquake impact in northern India toppled a 19th-century tower in the Nepalese capital Kathmandu and triggered a fatal avalanche on Mount Everest.
There were reports of devastation in outlying areas of the Himalayan country after the quake struck with a magnitude of 7.9, its epicenter, 50 miles (80 km) east of Nepal’s second largest city Pokhara.
Bangladesh President Abdul Hamid expressed deep shock at the loss of lives in Nepal, Bangladesh and India following a devastating earthquake.
In a condolence message, the President prayed for eternal peace of the departed souls and conveyed sympathy to members of the bereaved families.
Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina today expressed deep shock at the loss of life and property in a devastating earthquake in this region, including Nepal, India and Bangladesh.
PM’s press secretary AKM Shameem Chowdhuri said the Prime Minister expressed her concern over magnitude of the tremor and the vast area that came under its ferocity.
She conveyed condolences to the bereaved families and prayed for eternal peace of the departed souls.
The Bangladesh Embassy in Kathmandu on Saturday opened a help desk for the Bangladeshi nationals in Nepal, after a 7.8 magnitude earthquake struck the country.
An official of the external publicity wing of the foreign ministry in Dhaka said three more helpline were also launched for helping Bangladeshis in Nepal. The helpline numbers are: +9779851039352, +9779808184014 and +9779808765071.
The official said the embassy officials in Nepal are collecting information whether there was any Bangladeshi national among the earthquake victims. –Our Monitor