In brief
A 5.5 magnitude earthquake struck near Dhaka, Bangladesh, killing five people, including a child, and injuring over 450 others. The quake triggered panic as buildings shook and led to a stampede at Dhaka University. Authorities are still assessing the damage and casualties as they respond to the aftermath.
At least five people have been killed, including one child, and more than 450 injured after a 5.5 magnitude earthquake hit Bangladesh.
The epicentre of the earthquake was close to the Narsingdi district, about 30 kilometres (18.6 miles) from the capital, Dhaka.
People rushed from residential buildings as structures shook and makeshift setups collapsed. At least 10 students were injured in a stampede while fleeing Dhaka University on Friday.
We have never experienced an earthquake this powerful in the last five years, said the country's environmental adviser Syeda Rizwana Hasan.
At least three fatalities occurred when debris fell from a five-storey building in Dhaka's Armanitola area, according to deputy police commissioner Mallik Ahsan Uddin Sami.
Nitai Chandra De Sarkar, from the monitoring division, reported that 461 injuries were recorded across the country, with 252 in Gazipur district north of Dhaka.
Sarker stated: Our main task at the moment is to assess casualties and damage. We are not yet seeing the challenge of rescue from the rubble or debris management at that level.
Bengali Sadman Sakib, a local businessperson, recounted, I have never felt such a tremor in my 30 years. We were at the office when the furniture started shaking. We rushed down the stairs on the street and saw others already outside.
Another local, Abdullah, who was sleeping during the quake, described the whole building shaking.
The tremors were felt in eastern Indian states bordering Bangladesh, though no significant damage was reported there. The quake temporarily halted Ireland's cricket match in the country, prompting players and spectators to seek shelter. Ireland's head coach Heinrich Malan reflected on the experience, hoping for minimal damage from the quake.
