Essay: Earthquakes in Bangladesh

Earthquakes

Introduction: The earthquake is a great natural disaster. It is a sudden movement of a part of the earth's surface caused by deep cracks in the earth or by volcanic eruption. Some regions of the earth are prone to the earthquake while others are relatively safe from this natural disaster.

Earthquake-prone countries: Some countries like Indonesia, Japan, Iran, China, etc. are frequently hit by earthquakes. So, bridges and houses in these countries are built shock-proof. Forecasting regarding the occurrence of earthquake is hardly possible.

Effects of an earthquake: A severe earthquake causes colossal destruction to houses and properties. People are crushed under the broken houses. Often several quakes hit a place at short intervals. So, after a quake, people being homeless live in tents on the open field. When a devastating quake hits a populous city, thousands of people are killed and injured. Many people are trapped in the demolished houses and sometimes it takes days to rescue them. The only way to get rid of the ravages of this natural disaster is to build bridges, houses and roads following earthquake resistant code so that they can resist the earthquake.

Earthquake of Bangladesh: In Bangladesh, the risk of earthquakes is going up day by day as it is increasing in the surrounding countries. There are many reasons responsible for earthquakes in our country. Bangladesh lies in the active earthquake zone as it lies along the border of Euro-Asian and Indo-Australian plates where earthquakes are generated at regular intervals. In this region, earthquakes may occur in a cyclic order of hundred years. Among the seven severe earthquakes of the Himalayan range, the last one occurred in 1905. So, according to the specialists, a severe earthquake is likely to occur in Bangladesh. One of the most powerful earthquakes hit southern Asia while it shook Bangladesh, and seaside towns and villages were flooded. Besides, the quakes of the recent years remind us of the risk of earthquake.

Measures to be taken to reduce losses: We cannot prevent an earthquake but we can minimize the losses by taking the precautionary measures as given below :

(a) Buildings and other construction works may be made shock-proof.

(b) To have a survey to find out the buildings which are defective or risky, make a list of those constructions and make necessary arrangements to demolish those identified constructions.

(c) Proper use of media to make the dwellers of old risky buildings conscious of its devastating consequences.

(d) To pass an executive order by the government to develop an earthquake resistant building code to be followed as mandatory.

(e) To equip the Fire Brigade and Civil Defence with modern instruments and more manpower.

(f) To arrange regular training for the employees of all the offices and the city dwellers alike so that they can contribute something in case any earthquake occurs.

Conclusion: We are bound to face the natural calamities as we cannot prevent them. So, we should make well-planned cities.