Dhaka: Four hundred and sixteen buildings in the country’s four major cities, including 321 in Dhaka which have been identified as vulnerable to earthquake, will be demolished by December next.

The Public Works Minister and the authorities of four city corporations concerned have been directed to demolish the risky buildings, said Disaster Management and Relief secretary Mohammad Shah Kamal while talking to reporters at the Secretariat.

Besides, letters have already been sent to the utility service providers to snap the utility connections to those buildings.

Among the 416 vulnerable buildings, he said, 40, 31 and 24 will be demolished in Khulna, Sylhet and Chittagong cities respectively.

The Disaster Management and Relief Ministry will arrange a drill over earthquake at the Secretariat on 9 October for the first time, marking the International Disaster Mitigation Day-2016 to be held on 13 October, he said.

Department of Fire Service and Civil Defense will conduct the drill for raising awareness among people.

He said 10 buildings, including the Disaster Management and Relief Ministry building, Health Ministry building, Dhaka Medical College Hospital, Chittagong Medical College Hospital, Mitford Hospital, Mymensingh Medical College Hospital and Sylhet Medical College Hospital, which have been identified as vulnerable, will be renovated soon.

He stressed the need for following the building code while constructing buildings to avoid quake risk.