Earthquake of magnitude 5.7 strikes Bangladesh, no reports of damage

A magnitude 5.7 earthquake struck Bangladesh on Friday, the German Research Centre for Geosciences (GFZ) said, with the epicentre at a depth of 10 km.

Tremors were also felt in eastern states in neighbouring India that border Bangladesh, but there were no immediate reports of major damage in either country, authorities said.

The United States Geological Survey said the earthquake's epicentre was in the city of Narsingdi, about 40 km east of Dhaka, the capital.

Residents rushed out of their homes in Dhaka as buildings shook and some makeshift structures collapsed, Reuters witnesses said.

"I have never felt such a tremor in my life. We were at the office when furniture started shaking. We rushed down the stairs on the street and saw other people on the road already," said Sadman Sakib, who works in a private firm in Dhaka.

Local media showed pictures of people carrying their children and helping senior citizens out of their homes as the tremors caused panic.