Monday, January 4, 2016, Poush 21, 1422 BS, Rabiul Awal 22, 1437 Hijri


Earthquake panic rush leads to five deaths
Observer Online Desk
Published :Monday, 4 January, 2016,  Time : 5:06 PM  View Count : 60
The panic rush out of homes during Monday’s pre-dawn earthquake has left five people dead in Bangladesh.

Deaths have been reported from capital Dhaka, Jamalpur, and the northern districts of Rajshahi Lalmonirhat and Panchagarh.

The dead were identified as Atiqur Rahman, 23, of Jurain in the capital, Khalilur Rahman, a cook of Sheikh Mujibur Rahman Hall at Rajshahi University, Norul Islam, 60, a grocer at Ghonabari in Patghram upazila of Lalmonirhat, tailor Sona Mia, 38, of Gaokura village in Islampur upazila of Jamalpur, and Tahmina Begum, 55, of Panchagarh district headquarters.

At least 29 others in Dhaka were taken to hospital with injuries sustained during the panic rush.

In Sylhet, which borders northeast India, 32 people injured in similar circumstances were admitted to the hospital.

Many of the injured in the capital were students of the Dhaka University, said Dhaka Medical College and Hospital police outpost’s Inspector Mozammel Haque.

Many students jumped from second or third floors of their hostel -- one from as high as fifth floor rooftop.

As buildings started shake and sway at 5:05am, thousands jumped out of their beds and desperately tried to get out of their homes.

Atiqur Rahman died in Dhaka's East Jurain as he tried to rush out of his house after the earthquake struck.

"There seems to be no apparent injury on his body. It is suspected that he suffered a cardiac arrest in panic and died," Haque said.

He said Atiqur was a student and used to make money by offering tuition but it was not clear which education institution he was in.

Similar deaths were reported from Rajshahi and Lalmonirhat .

A cook at a residential hall at the Rajshahi University (RU) died after suffering cardiac arrest in panic, said Hall Provost Ashraf Uz Zaman.

Local Union Council member of Lalmonirhat Shah Zamal told bdnews24.com that Nurul Islam died minutes after rushing out from his home in panic.

bdnews24.com/LY







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