5 March

An earthquake with a magnitude of 5.0 on the Richter scale was reported near Mawlu Town in Indaw Township, Sagaing Region, yesterday. The quake, which occurred at 6:50 am, damaged religious edifices in the area.

The earthquake caused the entrance gate of the Phone Kone monastery at Pone Hone village-tract to collapse. Cracks also appeared on the wall of the Yan Aung Myin Mingalar monastery, and a concrete altar was damaged. The losses due to the quake have been pegged at K3.5 million.

“Moreover, the 190 feet long and 7 feet high brick fence of the monastery in Thet Yint Thar Village collapsed, causing an estimated damage of K1.9 million. Other religious edifices in Mawlu Town were also damaged, with losses amounting to K1 million. No humans or animals were injured in the earthquake,” said an official from the Indaw Township General Administration Department.

The areas damaged by the earthquake were inspected by a team led by U Tun Tun Lin, the administrator of Mawlu Town. — Maung Chit Lin (Indaw)(Translated by Hay Mar)