The massive concrete structure is crumbling overhead as when the ground rattles. An organized life is abruptly altered. Catastrophes in our existence are followed by earthquakes. The trajectory of human civilization has been altered numerous times with this vibration. Recently, T�rkiye, and Syria, a neighboring country, went through a similar calamity.
In T�rkiye, and Syria, the majority of the locations were in ruins. The earthquake recorded a 7.8 Richter scale magnitude. These kinds of terrible disasters take place on earth on average once a year. The number of small and large earthquakes that occur on Earth every year is thought to be around 0.5 million.
According to the United States Geological Survey, there are typically 17 significant earthquakes with a Richter scale magnitude greater than 7, and at least one earthquake with a magnitude of 8 happens every year. Earthquakes occasionally happen 800 km beneath the surface of the earth. Furthermore, it can arise between 10 and 30 km beneath the crust.
The greatest risk to people comes from these earthquakes. Chile was hit by the deadliest earthquake, measuring 9.5 on the Richter scale, on May 22, 1960. Despite the earthquake only lasting for ten minutes, there was substantial damage. The area nearest the epicentre of the earthquake was given the name Valdivia. Bangladesh can experience a stronger earthquake. Is Bangladesh fully equipped to handle this catastrophe?
Our nation undergoes natural disasters frequently because of its climate and geography. Bangladesh is well-known for being disaster-prone due to the intensity and frequency of natural catastrophes.
According to the Global Climate Risk Index by the think tank Germanwatch, Bangladesh is ranked sixth among the top 10 nations in the world most affected by extreme weather events over the past 20 years. The risk of catastrophe is gradually rising in Bangladesh as a result of both direct and indirect effects of climate change, unplanned urbanization, unplanned human interference in nature, river management, etc.
Geologists predict that Bangladesh would also experience numerous catastrophic earthquakes, and researchers have discovered some information about them. To identify earthquake-prone regions around the world, the United Nations started a programme called the Global Seismic Assessment Hazard Programme. Its main objective was to map the seismically active regions of the world so that nations could take the necessary precautions to limit serious damage. Bangladesh was likewise listed as a vulnerable country by that programme.
The occurrence of many plates from Sylhet to Chattogram in Bangladesh, as per the geologists, puts these locations at a high risk of earthquakes. The Tibetan Plate, the Indian Plate, and the Burma Plate all converge at the point where Bangladesh is located. By way of Sylhet-Sunamganj and Kishoreganj-Chattogram, it has traversed south Sumatra.
In addition, this has been a collaborative operation between Columbia University and University of Dhaka for the past two years. Where it has been noticed, there hasn't been any seismic energy produced from the Indian Plate and Burma Plate colliding for a very long period. As a result, energy has been collected there for 400-1000 years. Both the Burma and India plates are subducting, with the Burma plate subducting in the east and the India plate subducting in the west. Because of this, eight-magnitude earthquakes are possible due to the energy that builds up there. But it could occur just once or multiple times. The precise time that this earthquake will occur cannot be predicted.
In 1897, an earthquake of magnitude 8.4 on the Dowkey fault killed 1,626 people. The number of deaths cannot be estimated from the damage caused by the earthquake. Because at that time population density and settlement were very less. But that earthquake hit the Indian subcontinent and caused damage. If an earthquake of the same magnitude is present in the capital Dhaka or its surroundings, one cannot help but be terrified by imagining the terrible damage. Because there are not only old but very old buildings in Dhaka city and many people are living in those buildings at risk.
The enforcement of construction codes must therefore be given top priority. Yet, the reinforcing approach ought to be used for older buildings. The fact that T�rkiye,is considerably more prepared than us is pivotal. They dispatched search and rescue teams to the afflicted area as soon as the earthquake occurred, conducting rescue missions by helicopter.
Regarding our ability to respond, though, there is some ambiguity. Because it took us 15 days to perform rescue operations at one Rana Plaza. What is our capability if more than one such building collapses? We won't be able to independently verify anything unless there is an earthquake.
Calamities like earthquakes necessitate coordination among numerous organizations, for which a National Operations Center is required. Such an organization doesn't exist in Bangladesh yet. Local emergency management committees are also required for international relief cooperation in the event of a major disaster, although they have not yet been established.
RAJUK is primarily responsible for approving architectural plans for buildings. Following that, there is little oversight to ensure that the building is being constructed following the design or that the building code is being observed. On a project dubbed the Urban Resilience Project, Rajuk is collaborating with the World Bank in this area. We anticipate positive outcomes from this initiative in no time.
The involved individual or organization must be closely watched from the beginning to the end of the building's development to ensure that all the rules are adhered to. Public schooling is crucial to minimizing earthquake damage, and the government should take the main responsibility in this regard.
S M Sayem, Student, Department of Economics, University of Chittagong
