Myanmar quake damages nearly 400 ancient temples

Nay Pyi Daw, Aug 29 (IANS) The number of ancient temples damaged in the archaeological complex of Bagan in Myanmar in a 6.8 magnitude earthquake last week has risen to 397, according to authorities on Monday.

Restoration work will take at least a year, Deputy Director General of the Department of Archaeology, Thein Lwin, told the Myanmar Times.

The Cultural Ministry also put out a temporary ban on climbing some of the most famous pagodas of Bagan to watch sunrise or sunset, a major tourist attraction of the area, reported EFE news.

The US Geological Survey located the hypocentre of the earthquake on August 21 - which killed four persons and injured a Spanish tourist - to be 84.1 km deep and 30 km south of Bagan.

The historic complex of Bagan, capital of the ancient Myanmar kingdom of Pagan, between the 9th and 13th centuries, has more than 3,000 stupas and pagodas spread over an area of about 40 sq km.