Earthquake: Cracks appear on Comilla University halls
Resident engineer says no structural damage
Many cracks have developed in at least three residential halls of Comilla University (CoU), as Bangladesh was rocked by a significant earthquake measuring 5.6 on the Richter scale, according to a Met Office bulletin, this morning.
The USGS reported a 5.5 magnitude event on Richter at local time 9:35am, epicentred underneath Ramganj upazila of Lakshmipur, a neighbouring district.
The earthquake caused many students residing in the halls to come out into the open and apprehensive about returning upon spotting the cracks on the buildings' exterior. Fears of an imminent collapse spread panic among them.
The cracks have appeared at the university's Nawab Faizunnesa Chowdhury Hall, Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman Hall and Kazi Nazrul Islam Hall.
However the university's Superintendent Engineer, SM Shahidul Hasan, told UNB that the cracks that have appeared are all at the junctions of one building with another.
"No cracks have developed where there are beams or rod welding," Shahidul said, assuring that as long as that is the case, there is no danger and the university is equipped to handle it.
The structural integrity of the buildings have not been compromised, the engineer said.