United News of Bangladesh

Japan on Wednesday marked the 15th anniversary of the devastating earthquake, tsunami, and nuclear disaster that struck its northeastern coast, as the government pushes for increased use of atomic energy. The magnitude 9.0 quake and resulting tsunami on March 11, 2011, killed more than 22,000 people and forced nearly 500,000 to flee their homes, mostly due to flooding. In Fukushima, around 160,000 residents evacuated after radiation leaked from the tsunami-hit Fukushima Daiichi nuclear plant, with about 26,000 still living elsewhere due to lingering radiation fears or restrictions in their hometowns. At 2:46 p.m., the country observed a moment of silence, marking the exact time the quake struck. Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi, speaking at a ceremony in Fukushima, vowed to accelerate the region’s recovery over the next five years and to continue sharing “the valuable lessons learned from the disaster.” She has also pushed for faster restarts of nuclear reactors, supporting nuclear power as a stable energy source following a policy reversal in 2022 that ended a decade-long phase-out. Early Wednesday, some residents of the tsunami-hit areas visited the coast to pray for missing loved ones. Over one million homes, schools, and offices in Iwate, Miyagi, Fukushima, and other coastal regions were destroyed or damaged. While infrastructure has largely been rebuilt, community and economic recovery has been slow, with many residents relocating permanently. At Fukushima Daiichi, meltdowns occurred in three of six reactors, with at least 880 tons of melted fuel still inside. Radiation levels prevent full inspection, and large-scale removal is not expected until 2037 or later. Decontamination efforts produced massive amounts of slightly radioactive soil—enough to fill 11 baseball stadiums which the government plans to move, including for public works, but faces local resistance.  

Prime Minister Tarique Rahman has ordered the authorities concerned to keep 100,000 volunteers ready in Dhaka to deal with any potential earthquake situation. Disaster Management and Relief Minister Asadul Habib Dulu disclosed this while talking to reporters at the Secretariat on Sunday after a meeting with the Prime Minister. The minister said the Prime Minister gave several instructions in view of the recent increase in earthquake incidents. “He (PM) has instructed us to prepare 100,000 volunteers in Dhaka city following the same model we have in the coastal areas,” Dulu said. The minister said the Prime Minister also directed the authorities to identify open spaces, including playgrounds and schools in Dhaka, to relocate people during emergencies. The Prime Minister instructed the ministry to ensure quick procurement of necessary equipment and work with other ministries to build public awareness, he said. “We will work on these issues and sit again on the 11th to review the follow-up,” the minister added. Asked about the country’s rescue capacity in the case of a major earthquake, Dulu said the discussions were aimed at capacity building. “So far, the equipment we have procured has been handed over to the Armed Forces Division and some to the Fire Service,” he said. On long-term disaster management planning, the minister said there is a 180-day plan in place. “We will implement whatever falls within our jurisdiction,” he added. Regarding the removal of risky high-rise or vulnerable buildings in high-risk zones under Rajuk, the minister said, “Yes, it is within our purview. Where it involves the Ministry of Housing and Public Works, we coordinate and work together,” he said.

An earthquake shook Dhaka and several other parts of the country on Friday afternoon. It was third tremor that hit Bangladesh within a span of 40 hours. According to Bangladesh Meteorological Department(BMD), the earthquake measuring 5.4 on the Richter scale was felt at 1:52 pm. The epicentre was located in Assasuni  upazila of Satkhira District, said meteorologist Shahnaj Sultana of  BMD. According  to the European-Mediterranean Seismological Centre (EMSC), the epicentre was located 47 kilometres southwest of Khulna district town and 29 kilometres southeast of Satkhira. However, there were no immediate reports of casualties or damage. UNB’s Khulna correspondent reports that a moderate earthquake was also felt in Khulna and Ashashuni upazila of Satkhira at around 1:52pm. Md Mizanur Rahman, a weather officer at the Khulna Meteorological Department, said the quake was of moderate intensity. In Satkhira, many residents rushed out of their homes in fear when the tremor struck. However, no structural damage was reported immediately. Earlier, a mild earthquake was felt in Dhaka, Sylhet district and adjoining areas on Wednesday night.  The tremor, measuring 5.1 on the Richter scale, was recorded at 10:53pm, according to the European-Mediterranean Seismological Centre (EMSC). Another mild quake struck Dhaka and various parts of the country on Thursday.  The Earthquake Observation and Research Centre of the Bangladesh Meteorological Department said the tremor, which occurred at 12:04pm, had a magnitude of 4.6 on the Richter scale.

About 25,000 children in Kunar province are still living in makeshift tents six months after a devastating earthquake struck the region, international aid group Save the Children said on Thursday. According to its report, families are using traditional wood- or coal-burning heaters inside tarpaulin shelters to stay warm, which increases the risk of fire. It added that reconstruction work in the mountainous area has hardly started, and the destruction in some villages is so severe that they are unlikely to be rebuilt. At least 61 dead as heavy snowfall, rain lash Afghanistan  The quake also badly damaged the education system. More than half of nearly 1,300 classrooms assessed were either completely or partially destroyed. Even before the disaster, around 50,000 primary school-aged children in Kunar — the worst-hit province — were already out of school, the report noted. A strong 6.0-magnitude earthquake hit eastern Afghanistan on August 31 last year, causing widespread devastation mainly in Kunar and becoming one of the deadliest natural disasters in the country’s recent history.

A mild earthquake was felt in Sylhet district and nearby areas on Wednesday night. The tremor, measuring 5.1 on the Richter scale, was recorded at 10:53 pm, according to the European-Mediterranean Seismological Centre (EMSC). The EMSC said the epicentre was located in Myanmar. It was about 112 kilometres north-northwest of Monywa in Myanmar’s Sagaing Region and around 75 kilometres southeast of Mawlaik. The quake caused panic among residents in Sylhet, with many people rushing out of their homes in fear. However, no damage was reported.

Scientists have developed a new method to track falling space debris in real time using data from existing earthquake sensors, offering greater safety and faster response to potential hazards. Researchers at Johns Hopkins University and Imperial College London demonstrated that seismic sensors, already installed worldwide, can detect the sonic booms of debris entering the atmosphere. The technique was successfully applied to a 1.5-ton module from China’s Shenzhou 17 spacecraft, which landed hundreds of kilometers off previous predictions. Benjamin Fernando, lead author of the study, said radar and optical tracking work in orbit but atmospheric entry makes debris paths unpredictable. “Ground radars are limited and cannot track debris breakups effectively. Our method provides real-time data for authorities to act faster,” he added. The system analysed signals from 127 earthquake sensors across California to trace the module’s fall, showing it deviated about 40 kilometers from U.S. Space Command estimates. Experts say this innovation could improve monitoring of returning satellites, spent rockets, and other orbital debris, reducing risks to populated areas and infrastructure. This breakthrough highlights the growing importance of using existing global monitoring networks for space safety and disaster preparedness.   With inputs from NDTV

An earthquake was felt in Sylhet and surrounding areas early Monday morning. According to the Euro-Mediterranean Seismological Centre (EMSC) and other international earthquake monitoring agencies, the earthquake measured 5.4 on the Richter scale. The United States Geological Survey (USGS) said the tremor jolted the region at 4:47am. The epicenter was 14 kilometers south-southwest of Dhing town in Assam, India, and 68 kilometers northeast of Guwahati, with a depth of around 35 kilometers below the surface. Residents reported feeling the tremor in several areas of Sylhet city including Kumarpara, Zindabazar, Upashahar, Ambarkhana, Tilagor, and Shahporan police station areas, as well as in the upazilas of South Surma, Jaintapur, and Companiganj. Many Facebook users posted that they had felt the tremor early in the morning. Earthquake Alerts: Best Free Mobile Apps in 2025-26 The Bangladesh Meteorological Department has not yet officially confirmed the magnitude or epicenter of the earthquake but the matter is under observation, BMD sources said.

A powerful 6.5-magnitude earthquake struck southern and central Mexico on Friday, disrupting President Claudia Sheinbaum’s first press conference of the year as seismic alarms rang out and claiming at least two lives. Mexico’s National Seismological Service said the quake was centered near San Marcos in the southern state of Guerrero, close to the Pacific coast resort city of Acapulco. More than 500 aftershocks were recorded following the main tremor. Guerrero’s civil defense authority reported several landslides in and around Acapulco as well as on highways across the state. Governor Evelyn Salgado said a 50-year-old woman was killed when her house collapsed in a small community near the epicenter. Officials also reported significant structural damage to a hospital in Chilpancingo, the state capital, prompting the evacuation of patients. In both Mexico City and Acapulco, residents and visitors rushed outdoors as buildings shook. Mexico City Mayor Clara Brugada said one person died after suffering an apparent medical emergency and falling while evacuating a building. The U.S. Geological Survey said the quake struck at a depth of 21.7 miles (35 kilometers), about 2.5 miles north-northwest of Rancho Viejo, Guerrero, in a mountainous area roughly 57 miles northeast of Acapulco. Sheinbaum resumed her briefing shortly after the tremor. José Raymundo Díaz Taboada, a doctor and human rights activist living on the hills surrounding Acapulco, said he heard a loud rumble and noticed dogs barking before the shaking intensified. 6.9 magnitude earthquake causes small tsunami waves off northeastern Japan “At that moment, the seismic alert sounded on my phone,” he said. “Then the movement became strong and very noisy.” He added that the tremor felt weaker than some previous earthquakes, noting he had packed an emergency bag as aftershocks continued. Díaz Taboada said he was unable to contact friends along the Costa Chica southeast of Acapulco due to disrupted communications.

A powerful earthquake with a preliminary magnitude of 7.6 struck northeastern Japan late Monday night (December 08, 2025), prompting a tsunami warning for wide stretches of the Pacific coastline, according to the Japan Meteorological Agency (JMA). The quake struck at 11:15 p.m. local time at a depth of 50 km and registered upper 6 on Japan’s seismic intensity scale of 7 in the hardest-hit areas, the agency said. Read more: Earthquake: Matlab Bridge crack triggers fears as thousands cross every day Tsunami warnings have been issued for coastal regions of Hokkaido, Aomori and Iwate prefectures, where waves as high as 3 meters are expected. The epicenter was located off the eastern coast of Aomori at 41.0 degrees north latitude and 142.3 degrees east longitude. A tsunami advisory was also issued for Miyagi and Fukushima prefectures following the strong tremor. Authorities urged residents in the warned areas to move to higher ground immediately as aftershocks are likely. Read more: Earthquake Alerts: Best Free Mobile Apps in 2025-26

A deep crack at the joint of the vital ‘Matlab Bridge’ over the Dhonagoda River has sparked alarm among residents and motorists, raising concerns about a serious disaster if urgent repairs are not carried out. The bridge, which connects Matlab South and Matlab North upazilas and serves as a major route for travellers heading to Dhaka from Chandpur, Noakhali, Feni, Lakshmipur, Raipur, Ramganj and Hajiganj, sees thousands of vehicles pass over it every day. ‘It wasn’t there before quake’ Locals say the problem became visible only after the 5.7 magnitude earthquake on 21 November, which shook much of the country. During a visit to the site, it was found that shifting soil beneath the approach roads has created a large cavity, exposing iron rods and lifting sections of concrete. Read more: Earthquake Alerts: Best Free Mobile Apps in 2025-26 A sizeable hole has also opened on the approach road, turning it into a hazard for unsuspecting drivers. A noticeable gap has developed in the bridge’s central joint, and the structure visibly trembles when heavy vehicles pass, leaving regular users fearful. “There were no such issues before the earthquake,” said Mojibur Rahman, one of the residents, who urged the authorities to conduct a thorough inspection before it is too late. Others, including Kamrul Hasan and Golam Nabi, echoed the call, pointing out that emergency service vehicles, students and ambulances carrying patients are forced to use the compromised bridge daily. People are crossing it at great risk, they said. An essential structure at risk Built under a government project initiated in the 2015–16 fiscal year, the bridge was designed to ease communication between the northern and southern parts of Chandpur, reduce travel time to Dhaka and improve regional connectivity. The project originally carried a cost of Tk 84 crore, including Tk 56 crore for the bridge and Tk 28 crore for land acquisition. Read more: Only 3,252 out of 21 lakh buildings in Dhaka, Gazipur assessed for earthquake safety: RAJUK However, the structure—comprising seven spans, each 10.25 metres wide, and approach roads stretching 1.86 kilometres—was ultimately completed in June 2018 for Tk 92 crore. Since its inauguration, it has become a lifeline for thousands of commuters. Now, its deteriorating condition has left users anxious. College teacher Md Joynal Abedin described the situation as “very alarming”, while schoolgirl Nusrat Jahan said she feels unsafe every day: “It shakes a lot when heavy vehicles go over it.” Badiul Alam Babu, general secretary of Nirapad Sarak Chai for Matlab South, said the issue extends beyond the bridge itself. “The approach roads are also in very poor condition. This is an essential bridge. The department concerned must repair it without delay.” Promise of Action Matlab South Upazila Engineer Anwar Hossain said repair work would begin ‘very soon’. Chandpur Roads and Highways Department Executive Engineer Aliul Hossain added that engineers were being sent to assess the bridge. “Necessary action will be taken based on the enquiry report,” he said. For now, however, thousands continue to cross the compromised structure each day, hoping it will hold until repairs begin. Read more: Ceiling And Wall Cracks After An Earthquake: When To Worry