Heavy rains damage Bagan's ancient structures; Sinka Pagoda severely destroyed
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Hsu/ Yoon (NP News) - Sep 24
Due to heavy rains, 11 ancient structures in Bagan were damaged. The Sinka Pagoda, located in Bagan’s ancient cultural area, partially collapsed and will take three months to repair, according to the Department of Archaeology and National Museum (Bagan).
Heavy rains on September 11 and 12 impacted 11 ancient structures within the Bagan Archaeological Cultural Zone.
Among the damaged structures, ten including Shwezigon Pagoda sustained minor damage. However, the 13th-century the Sinka Pagoda (Monument No. 1042) experienced approximately 70% destruction.
"Due to the increased rainfall, 11 ancient structures were affected. Typically, the damage to the ancient buildings involves bricks falling off. The percentage of destruction is low, but the 13th-century Sinka Pagoda (Monument No. 1042) ' had also experienced an earthquake in 2016. We had carried out preservation efforts to strengthen it, but since it is a structure from the Bagan period (over 800 years old), the bricks have naturally deteriorated over time. As it has aged, its stability has weakened, and that's why around 70% of it was damaged. Currently, due to the moisture, we can't immediately remove the fallen bricks," said U Nyi Moon, Director of the Bagan Branch, to The NP News.
Efforts are currently underway to repair the minor damage to the ancient structures. The restoration of the Sinka Pagoda is expected to take approximately three months.
"As soon as the weather improves and dries out a little, we will begin the repairs. We will follow the standard preservation methods to restore the ancient structure to its original form. Restoration work will be carried out as quickly as possible. Some of the minor damages might be fixed within a week or two. For the Sinka Pagoda,' it will take about three months to complete, following the appropriate procedures. We are already working on repairing some of the structures," U Nyi Moon added.
It is reported that the Department of Archaeology and National Museum (Bagan) remains committed to preserving the ancient structures in their original state and has implemented preventive measures against natural disasters.
Moreover, approximately 60 ancient structures in the Bagan Cultural Heritage Area were damaged by Cyclone Mocha in May 2023, and 389 ancient stupas and pagodas, including Thabanyu Temple, were affected by the 2016 earthquake.