A 5.9-magnitude earthquake was felt across Cox’s Bazar and surrounding areas on the night of the holy Shab-e-Barat, triggering brief panic among residents.
The tremor struck at 9:34pm on Tuesday (3 February), shaking buildings across the district.
Abdul Hannan, the assistant meteorologist at the Bangladesh Meteorological Department’s Cox’s Bazar office, confirmed the information.
He said the earthquake measured 5.9 on the Richter scale and originated near Yangon in Myanmar, approximately 521 kilometres south-east of the Dhaka seismic centre.
The duration of the tremor could not be immediately confirmed. However, many residents reported feeling noticeable shaking, prompting some to rush outdoors in fear.
No casualties or structural damage were reported in the latest updates, according to the authorities.
Officials said the situation was being closely monitored and urged people to remain calm while staying alert.
Hasan Turki, a resident near the Cox’s Bazar bus terminal, said, “I suddenly saw a bottle lying on the floor fall over in front of me. That’s when I realised an earthquake had occurred.”
By Abdu Rashid Manik
Photo: Collected
