Earthquakes
Photo: Munir uz Zaman / Drikniews
A news report was published in a local English daily on June 29. It indicated that according to the survey carried out by Comprehensive Disaster Management Programme (CDMP); 78,000 out of 326,000 buildings in greater Dhaka is at risk of earthquake damage. Unfortunately, there was no indication, that at what level of intensity (in the Richter Scale of 1 to10)), this devastation is most likely to occur. Not that it will effect the immediate "first aid' level of safety and precaution from being taken; as that is necessary for everyone to ensure safety of his or her own life! However, the report refers to the fact that we had two or three major tremors in the last 150 years. Again unfortunately it did not mention the year that it happened starting from the year 1860 (2010-150). On these criteria, unfortunately one can conclude that this important report, is rather sketchy and unclear and not technically specific. Will the CDMP kindly take note of this matter, and provide a more specific report and have it widely circulated through the print and audio-visual media, in overall national interest! From the risk to buildings as provided in the report; Dhaka is fortunately at a lesser risk, compared to Chittagong and Sylhet-- the next two fast developing cities in Bangladesh. Dhaka's close density of buildings, and the larger number of high-rises has magnified the risk. Possibly the initial DIT height restriction on buildings and the number of stories allowed in a building and the minimum side clearances established back sometimes in the 1950s was safer in this respect. May I through this letter, request the editors of the dailies to kindly provide more detailed, if summarized information on this important safety matter as spelled out by the CDMP.
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