Aftershocks suggest no immediate risk of major quake: Expert
These aftershocks indicate that the fault is releasing residual energy and moving toward stability, says Prof Shakhawat
The pattern of aftershocks following the 5.7-magnitude earthquake indicates that the possibility of another major earthquake in the near future is low, experts say.
Md Shakhawat Hossain, a faculty member of the Department of Geological Sciences at Jahangirnagar University and an earthquake specialist, told The Business Standard that the recent aftershocks indicate that there is no risk of any major quake.
"The aftershocks we are experiencing are originating from the same fault, or nearby, where the initial 5.7 quake occurred," he explained.
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"This shows that the fault is gradually stabilising. One or two small tremors may still occur in the coming days, or they may not. But at this moment, the chance of another major earthquake from that particular source is slim."
However, he cautioned that Bangladesh remains vulnerable due to its geological setting.
"Bangladesh sits on the boundary of multiple tectonic plates. This entire region has been earthquake-prone since its formation. While quakes above magnitude 7 have occurred in the broader region, none of that scale originated directly beneath Bangladesh's territory," Shakhawat Hossain said.
Saturday's shallow quake in the Narsingdi–Palash area was unusually close to Dhaka, making the tremors widely felt.
"In the last 20 to 30 years, we haven't experienced a tremor of this intensity so close to the capital. But that does not mean a bigger earthquake is imminent. No one can predict the timing or magnitude of earthquakes," Shakhawat noted.
What can be assessed, he said, is the general seismic potential over longer periods.
"Seismologists can estimate that certain magnitudes may occur in a given region within the next few decades, but nothing precise," he added.
Shakhawat reiterated that the smaller quakes recorded after Friday's main shock are a reassuring sign rather than a cause for panic.
"These aftershocks indicate that the fault is releasing residual energy and moving toward stability," he said. "For now, they suggest we are not facing the immediate risk of a major earthquake," he added.
