Are We Ready To Face Earthquack?

It was quite surprising to see people making jokes about the 5.6-magnitude earthquake that hit our country on December 2, especially considering the actual danger it posed. Though luckily no one was hurt and no damages were reported, it made me wonder if the threat of earthquakes is taken seriously enough by people.

17 earthquakes were already faced by Bangladesh last year. The hot zones in the country, namely Sylhet, Chattogram, and Dhaka, are situated along three fault lines. Bangladesh has identified 13 areas that are prone to earthquakes. According to experts, if a strong earthquake originates from any of these faults, it could result in devastating destruction. Tragically, it could also lead to the loss of hundreds of thousands of lives.

According to a survey conducted by Rajuk, Dhaka is highly susceptible to severe earthquakes. If a 6.9-magnitude earthquake were to occur along the nearby Madhupur fault line, around 865,000 buildings would be destroyed. During the day, it is estimated that 210,000 lives would be lost and 229,000 people would sustain injuries. The financial impact of such an event would be significant.

In spite of not being prepared for the harsh reality, we are still unprepared to confront earthquakes. The responsibility of dealing with this danger falls upon individuals and families. In the regions governed by Dhaka North City Corporation, a significant number of tall buildings are at risk, and the absence of emergency evacuation facilities exacerbates the situation.

Megh, a student who lives on the 5th floor of a 7-story building in Sava at Pollibidhyut, was extremely scared during the latest earthquake. "The experience was horrific. I was sitting on a sofa and watching TV. Suddenly, I felt my sofa shaking fastly, and that hit my nerve that we were facing an earthquake, he said. "My elder sister was also in that room, and she started to recite Doa Yunus. Moreover, we were so shocked by the incident that we did not even take any steps to move out of the building; we just stood up and were expecting to stop the earthquake."

Every individual and family should prepare themselves to face an abrupt earthquake and learn how to take the necessary steps in that situation. Children should also be educated about earthquakes, their consequences, and how to keep themselves calm and act.

During an earthquake, it's important to take the necessary precautions to keep yourself safe.

1. Hide a bed or table if you are in your flat or house. Cover your head and body with a pillow if you are already in bed.

If you're outside,keep yourself away from structures, electricity lines, and trees. Moreover,drop yourself to the ground and crawl towards an open area.

If you're in a car and driving it, then stop your car and remain inside. Try not to stop near any infrastructure like buildings, overpasses, trees, or utility wires. When the shaking stops, move slowly.

4. Lock the wheels and remain in them until the shaking stops if you use a wheelchair or walker. If you can't hide yourself under any bed or table, then brace yourself and protect your head and neck by using your arms, a pillow, a book, or any nearby object to shield yourself.

Apart from being prepared, it is crucial to enhance the response after an earthquake. It is essential to develop the ability to promptly respond to the situation and carry out effective rescue and evacuation operations.

We get only a few seconds to think about what to do during an earthquake; with the blink of an eye, a building may turn into trash. We should question ourselves, and it is high time to talk about the years of infrastructural development. If an earthquake of high magnitude hits Bangladesh,will all these developments remain undestroyed? Are we ready to deal with this looming threat?