5.5-magnitude earthquake hits Bangladesh; tremors felt in Kolkata, Northeast states
What's the story
An estimated 5.5 magnitude earthquake struck Dhaka and other parts of Bangladesh at around 10:38am on Friday morning. The United States Geological Survey (USGS) said the quake hit 14km west-southwest of Bangladesh's Narsingdi at a shallow depth of 10km. Tremors were felt in India, especially in Kolkata, with residents noticing fans and wall hangings moving slightly during the earthquake.
Twitter Post
Residents share videos
Earthquake at Kolkata pic.twitter.com/aSu42W4100
— Dr. Subrata Chatterjee – Astrologer in Kolkata (@AstrospecialIn) November 21, 2025
Other regions
Test match between Bangladesh and Ireland halted
Some residents in cities like Guwahati, Agartala, and Shillong also reported feeling tremors. The northeastern states of Assam, Meghalaya, Mizoram, and Tripura, along with West Bengal, form the five Indian states that share an international border with Bangladesh. The earthquake also briefly halted Bangladesh's ongoing Test match against Ireland in Dhaka. The game resumed after a few minutes, with no damage recorded.
Quakes
Shallow earthquakes are more dangerous
Shallower earthquakes are more destructive because their energy travels shorter distance before reaching the surface. In deeper quakes, much of the energy dissipates as it passes through geological layers. Afghanistan, Pakistan, and northern India are located among the most seismically active zones, where the Indian and Eurasian tectonic plates meet. More recently, a 6-magnitude earthquake with a depth of 8km hit Afghanistan, killing 800.