Fire dept not ready to tackle quake fallout

It will be difficult for the Fire Service and Civil Defence Department to tackle a massive earthquake in the capital, should once occur, due to a shortage of manpower and equipment, said fire service officials yesterday.

Around 72,000 buildings might collapse in a 7.5 magnitude earthquake in the city, said Lt Col Mohammad Mosharraf Hossain, a director of the department. "It will be difficult for us to search and rescue if such situation arises," he told journalists after a drilling in the capital.

Dhaka remains vulnerable to earthquakes and in the case of one, the first 24 hours, known as golden time, are important, said Brig Gen Ali Ahmed Khan, director general of the organisation. He said they need more equipment and manpower. At present, the department has 13 stations and around 500 personnel in Dhaka and its adjacent areas. It has about 8,000 staff working at 288 stations across the country.