Chittagong, July 27: A 5.09-magnitude earthquake jolted the southern Bangladesh port city of Chittagong today, officials said. No casualties or damages were immediately reported after the 20-second quake that sent many residents bolting from their homes in panic at about 6 am.

A seismic observatory centre in Chittagong measured the quake as having a magnitude of 5.09, but could not determine its origin. In 1997, 5.74-magnitude quake in Chittagong killed 22 people, most of them buried under a collapsed building.

Chittagong is 216 km southeast of the capital, Dhaka.

Bureau Report