Earthquake hits ancient temples

YANGON, Myanmar — A powerful earthquake shook Myanmar on Wednesday, killing at least four 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 centered about 15 miles west of Chauk, a town south of Bagan. It was located fairly far below the Earth’s surface at a depth of about 52 miles, it said. Deep earthquakes generally cause less surface damage.

At least 185 brick pagodas in Bagan were damaged, the state newspaper reported. Bagan, also known as Pagan, has more than 2,200 structures including pagodas and temples constructed from the 10th to the 14th centuries.