Myanmar earthquake damages nearly 400 ancient temples, restoration to take more than a year

Nay Pyi Daw: 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. [caption id=“attachment_2981458” align=“alignleft” width=“380”]  A damaged pagoda is seen after an earthquake in Bagan, Myanmar has damaged close to 400 ancient temples. Reuters[/caption] 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 21 August — 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.