Powerful earthquake shakes central Myanmar

YANGON, Myanmar — A powerful earthquake shook Myanmar on Wednesday, killing at least three people and damaging nearly a hundred ancient Buddhist pagodas in the former capital of Bagan, a major tourist site, officials said.

The U.S. Geological Survey said the magnitude 6.8 quake was centred about 25 kilometres west of Chauk, a town south of Bagan. It was located fairly far below the Earth’s surface at a depth of about 84 kilometres, it said. Deepearthquakesgenerallycauseless surface damage.

At least 94 brick pagodas in Bagan were damaged, the Ministry of Religious and Cultural Affairs said in a statement. Bagan, also known as Pagan, has more than 2,200 structures including pagodas and temples constructed from the 10th to the 14th centuries. Many are in disrepair while others have been restored in recent years,aidedbytheU.N.culturalagency UNESCO.

The vast site is the country’s premier attraction for tourists, who can viewapanoramaoftemplesstretching to the horizon flanked by the mighty IrrawaddyRiver,anespeciallyimpressive experience at sunset.

Dr. Myo Thant, general secretary of theMyanmarEarthquakeCommittee, said other areas apparently were not badly affected.

Police officer Htay Win in Pakokku, about 70 kilometres from the epicenter, said one person there had been killed and one injured. “The person was killed by falling bricks from a building,” he said.

The Ministry of Social Welfare, Relief and Resettlement reported two other deaths in nearby Thitapwe village.

U.N. spokesman Stephane Dujarric said Secretary- General Ban Ki-moon was “saddened” by the loss of life and damage from the earthquake and expressedhiscondolencestothe“people and government” of Myanmar.

He said the U.N. Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs was in contact with authorities in Myanmar and along with its partners stands ready to support the government and local organizations “shouldanyhumanitariansupportbe needed.”

Thequakewasalsofeltinahalfdozen states in neighbouring India, where peoplerushedoutofofficesandhomes at several places. It caused buildings to sway in Bangkok, Thailand’s capital, severalhundredkilometrestotheeast. There were no immediate reports of damage in either country.

The last major quake in the area — which is often affected by smaller tremors — occurred in April about 300 kilometres further north, and measured magnitude 6.9. It caused noreportedcasualtiesandonlyminor damage.