CHAIRMAN of the National Disaster Management Committee Vice-Chairman of the State Administration Council Deputy Prime Minister Vice-Senior General Soe Win inspected the loss and damage in the recent earthquake, repairing process and healthcare services for the injured people in the earthquake in Bago Region yesterday morning.
At the historic NandawU Lawkamarazein Pagoda in Toungoo, the Vice-Senior General viewed collapsed parts including the diamond orb and the pennant-shaped vane and gave instructions to officials to systematically repair the damaged parts of the pagoda in its original state.
NandawU Lawkamarazein Pagoda was built by King Badon in 1161 Myanmar Era with the title of NandawU Yanaungnaing. In 1280 ME, Sayadaws U Obhasa and U Acara developed the pagoda and its construction was completed in 1290 ME. The pagoda was christened NandawU Lawkamarazein with the hoisting of a new umbrella.
On arrival at Toungoo Central Prison being built in Ketumati, the Vice-Senior General heard reports on construction sections for the prison by officials. He visited the construction site and instructed officials to build the prison with a design to endure the impacts of earthquakes. He ordered officials and quality control experts to check the construction process once every two weeks or once a week. He urged all to use quality construction materials and seek necessary technological assistance from the Ministry of Construction.
At Toungoo Technological University, the Vice-Senior General heard reports on the loss and damage of the university in the recent earthquake and identified dangerous buildings presented by the pro-rector. The Vice-Senior General inspected damaged buildings and lecture halls and instructed officials to inspect the strengthening of buildings with the technical assistance of experts from the Ministry of Construction and the Ministry of Science and Technology and repair ones to be completed before the rainy season.
Toungoo Technological University possessing ISO 9001:2025 is an advanced technological university. The institution taught Civil, EC, EP and mechanical subjects till the 2018-19 academic year but it extended teaching with IT and MC majors from 2019-2020 AY.
At Toungoo Hospital, the Vice-Senior General asked earthquake-affected patients about conditions of injuries, healthcare services and current health conditions and presented foodstuffs and cash to patients and cash awards to hospital staff.
Due to the impacts of the Mandalay earthquake, a total of 67 inpatient people received medical treatment. So far, there remain eight patients under treatment, and 59 patients have been discharged from the hospital.
On arrival at Shwehsandaw Pagoda, the Vice-Senior General looked into collapsed parts of the umbrella, some degree of tilting of the umbrella and some cracked parts. He instructed officials to repair the necessary parts as quickly as possible to ensure the safety of pilgrims. He supplicated repairing of the pagoda in its original state with the necessary technology to Shwelinyon Sayadaw Aggama Saddhammajotikadhaja Bhaddanta Aravinda Bhivamsa of Yadanagonmyint Monastery at Gandawin Koekhan Ordination Hall. State Ovadacariya Aggamaha Pandita Aggamaha Ganthavacaka Pandita Bhaddanta Suriya of Kyanikan Monastery gave advise to the Vice-Senior General who also supplicated plans of the best rehabilitation measures against the impacts of the recent earthquake.
The Vice-Senior General also oversaw loss and damage at the three-storey Yamanya Lecture Building of Toungoo University, Government Technical Institute (Toungoo), student hostels and staff housings. He gave instructions on the formation of a team comprising relevant experts to inspect the strengthening of buildings and reconstruct necessary buildings as quickly as possible. He also urged officials to demolish dangerous buildings with the safety of electricity. He presented cash awards to firefighters, faculty members and staff participating in rehabilitation processes.
The Vice-Senior General looked into damage to the Swa Creek Bridge at milepost 165 on the Yangon-Mandalay Expressway, maintenance of a road section, and construction of a bailey bridge.
Bridge Task Force 10 of the Department of Bridges under the Ministry of Construction is building the Swa Creek Bridge. At present, the bridge can allow the rolling of under five-tonne vehicles. As of 9 April, it can admit 20-tonne vehicles for driving.
Initial statistics stated loss and damage as well as dead and injured people in the Mandalay earthquake. It destroyed 71 pagodas, 186 monasteries, 92 schools, 15 religious schools, 200 departmental buildings, 289 other buildings, 1,736 residential buildings and some roads and bridges. In the incident, a total of 44 people were dead and 234 people injured. — MNA/TTA
