Nearly 400 Bagan pagodas damaged by earthquake: govt

​As the list of Bagan pagodas damaged by last week’s earthquake continues to grow, the Department of Archaeology, National Museum and Library said yesterday that repair work would take at least one year to complete.



Tourists photograph the quake-damaged Sulamani Pagoda in Bagan on August 25. Photo: Kaung Htet / The Myanmar Times

The 6.8-magnitude tremor, which struck on August 24, was centred 25 kilometres (16 miles) west of Chauk in Magwe Region.

U Thein Lwin, deputy director general of the department, told The Myanmar Times yesterday that visitors are prohibited from entering 33 pagodas and are not allowed to climb to the upper levels of those pagodas for sunrise and sunset viewing.

“We have set the prohibition period for one year. We will allow visitors to enter and climb the pagodas again after the renovation period,” he said.

According to the Ministry of Culture and Religious Affairs, the prohibited list includes the popular Pyathatgyi, Shwesandaw, Htilominlo and Sulamani pagodas. The inventory of damaged pagodas and temples has also risen to 397 from last week’s count of 187.

The ministry also released a list of damaged pagodas in areas outside of Bagan, including 35 in Salay in Magwe Region, five in Mrauk-U in Rakhine State and 13 in Sagaing Region.

Representatives from local travel and tour companies expressed doubt that the tourism industry would be adversely affected by the earthquake, with some even suggesting that the quake had boosted international interest in the ancient pagodas. President U Htin Kyaw also said last week that there were plenty of undamaged pagodas for tourists to see.

Daw Sabei Aung, managing director of Nature Dreams travel and tours, said yesterday that at least five of the prohibited pagodas were included on their tour package list, but tourists have not complained about not being able to go inside.

“They understand the situation. We arrange to visit villages and offer other services in the Bagan region, so the tourists have been satisfied with our service,” she said.
Source : Myanmar Times 

Powerful earthquake hits central Myanmar

Breaking: A powerful 6.8 magnitude earthquake hit central Myanmar today, the US Geological Survey reported.



Fire department rescue workers examine the remains of a building destroyed by the earthquake in Taungdwingyi township, Magwe Region. Photo: Facebook / Myanmar Fire Services DepartmentFire department rescue workers examine the remains of a building destroyed by the earthquake in Taungdwingyi township, Magwe Region. Photo: Facebook / Myanmar Fire Services Department

The quake, which the agency said struck at a depth of 84 kilometres (52 miles), was felt in Yangon, as well as in the Thai and Bangladesh capitals (see map below).



Officials from Myanmar's Relief and Resettlement Department confirmed four casualties, as well as damage to 68 stupas and pagodas.

The epicentre was near Chauk, a town on the Ayeyarwady River around 30 kilometres south of Bagan, Myanmar's most famous archaeological site and home to more than 2,500 Buddhist monuments.

"Some famous pagodas were damaged during the earthquake," a tourist police officer from Bagan said, adding some of the damage in the major tourist destination was "serious".

Soe Win, a regional MP from the township in Magwe region, told AFP the tremors lasted for several minutes.

"There was also some sound as well. A pagoda collapsed in Salay and a building also collapsed," he said. The death of a 22-year-old in a building collapse near the epicentre was also confirmed.



Dhammayangyi temple shrouded in dust following a 6.8 magnitude earthquake, which damaged 67 other temples and stupas across the region. Photo: AFPDhammayangyi temple shrouded in dust following a 6.8 magnitude earthquake, which damaged 67 other temples and stupas across the region. Photo: AFP

The USGS estimated that the impact would be "relatively localised" but noted that many buildings in the region are "highly vulnerable" to earthquake shaking.

The quake was also felt in the Indian city of Kolkata, rocking tall structures and sending panicked residents out onto the streets.

"Services of the underground railway have been suspended fearing aftershocks of the quake," Kolkata Metro Railway spokesman Indrani Banerjee told AFP.

It was also felt throughout south and southwestern Bangladesh close to the border with Myanmar, with television footage showing residents running into the streets.

At least 20 people were injured as panicked workers tried to flee a building in the industrial area of Savar outside Dhaka, ATN Bangla television reported.

"All of us ran to the streets leaving the houses and shops unsecured as the quake seemed very dangerous," Nazmus Sakib from the southern city of Chittagong close to the Myanmar border wrote on his Facebook wall.

Earthquakes are relatively common in Myanmar, though there has not been a major quake since 2012.

The last major quake struck in a nearby region in April and caused minor damages but no casualties.

This story is developing, and will be updated as more information becomes available.

Source : Myanmar Times 

MoHT expands ecotourism destinations

The Ministry of Hotels and Tourism has announced they will open up 22 regions of the country to ecotourism for both foreign and local travelers.

Efforts to design the government-backed Ecotourism Plan began in 2015 in the name of developing Myanmar’s tourism sector, and are reportedly being drawn up in accordance with the relevant laws and legislation.

Ecotourism provides people with a sustainable and dependable livelihoods and advocates the protection and conservation of forests and woodlands.

“The numbers of tourists visiting Myanmar is augmenting year upon year. That’s why we’re expanding the eco-tourism projects.

We’ll also make it possible to survey the country’s flora and fauna in order to protect natural wildlife,” said U Tint Thwin, director of the Ministry of Hotels and Tourism.

The Department of Forestry and MoHT are reportedly working together to expand eco-tourism to corners of Myanmar which presently receive little to no tourists.

“Myanmar now boasts twenty-two new eco-tourism destinations. That said, we haven’t been able to implement any economic activities in these areas as yet.

The reason being, we’re still eyeing which projects would be potentially sustainable. Then there’s the safety of tourists in these areas to think about, that’s important. Some parts of northern Kachin and Shan States still lack stability,” said U Thet Lwin Toh, chair of the Union of Myanmar Travel Association.

Some of the destinations earmarked for ecotourism development include the Meinmahla Kyun Wildlife Sanctuary in the Ayeyarwady Delta, Myaing

Hay Wun Elephant Camp in Yangon Region and Khakaborazi National Park in the northern most frontiers of the country which surrounds Myanmar’s highest peak.

A total of 4.7 million foreign tourists streamed into Myanmar through its international airports during last year’s 2015-16 financial year, while estimates put this year’s figures at reaching 5.5 million.—Myitmakha News Agency

Source : Global New Light of Myanmar 

Yangon heritage building to become national library

​President U Htin Kyaw has approved a Yangon Heritage Trust proposal to relocate the National Library to downtown Yangon, making the national archives more visible and available to the public.

A pedestrian crosses the street in front of the former Burma Oil Company headquarters on Merchant Street. Photo: Aung Myin Ye Zaw / The Myanmar Times

The books will be moved from their current location on Thiri Mingalar Yeikthar Road in Yankin township to the former Burma Oil Company headquarters on Merchant Street, after the building has been renovated by YHT.

“This will be a great step forward for the rejuvenation of the old downtown. The library will also be far more accessible to the general public,” wrote YHT chair U Thant Myint-U on the group’s Facebook page.

He thanked U Thant Thaw Kaung, chief librarian at Yangon University Central Library.

The Ministry of Energy tendered the building late last year for long-term rent. Daw Shwe Yin Mar Oo, public relations manager for YHT said she could not yet provide additional details.

State media reported on July 29 that the National Library has 172,556 books, 435,580 periodicals, 12,323 palm leaf manuscripts, 345 hand-written letters, 25,468 rare books and other literary materials.

The Global New Light of Myanmar published a brief history of the library, which has reportedly been relocated several times since independence. The Bernard Free Library was taken over by the Ministry of Culture in 1952, renamed State Library, and moved to the Jubilee Hall, it said.

It later became the National Library and moved to Pansodan Streetand then to Yangon City Hall. After moving twice more, the books were temporarily housed in Tarmwe township when the building was damaged during Cyclone Nargis in 2008, they were moved again to their current location in Yankin. 

Source : Myanmar Times