2 days ago
19
March 30, 2025 | 10:07 am
TEMPO.CO, Jakarta - The earthquake that struck Myanmar on Friday, March 28, 2025, caused damage to historical and religious sites across the country. Several pagodas, Buddhist monasteries and centuries-old monuments were damaged. According to video from witnesses verified by the New York Times, some of the sites were reduced to rubble.
According to the New York Times, the Myanmar government said Saturday morning that more than 3,000 buildings had been damaged, including about 150 mosques and pagodas. One of the cultural sites damaged by the quake was the Me Nu Brick Monastery southwest of Mandalay, the last capital of the Burmese kingdom. The 200-year-old building was largely destroyed. Rows of the building’s distinctive balconies had collapsed around a large interior wall.
Me Nu Brick Monastery, also known as Maha Aung Mye Bon Zan Monastery, was built by Nanmadaw Me Nu, the Queen Mother of King Bagyidaw in 1818. It was donated to the royal abbot Nyaunggan Sayardaw U Po, who then presented it to Nyaunggan Sayardaw U Bok 2. The monastery was also damaged by an earthquake in 1838 but was repaired in 1873 by Queen Sin Phyu Ma Shin.
11th-Century Pagoda Collapses
Another historic building that was destroyed by the 7.7 magnitude earthquake was the Shwe Sar Yan Pagoda in Mon state. Video showed the ornate golden spire collapsing, amidst screams from people.
The Shwe Sar Yan Pagoda is a revered Buddhist site in the country. According to Mindtrip, the pagoda is believed to have been built in the 11th century during the reign of King Anawrahta. The pagoda is renowned for its impressive architecture and the sacred relics it houses. The pagoda complex includes several smaller stupas and shrines, each adorned with intricate carvings and decorations. Visitors often come to pay their respects, participate in religious ceremonies and enjoy the serene atmosphere of the site. The pagoda is especially crowded during Buddhist festivals.
In Pindaya, Shan state, Buddhist monuments known as stupas that adorned a large monastery collapsed, and cracks ripped through the foundations of other surviving buildings. Around the stupa, the remains of golden spires and red bricks littered the ground. In one witness video, onlookers wailed as the top of the monastery’s largest stupa collapsed in an aftershock.
“Pindaya has had several earthquakes before but not as strong as today,” said Tun Tun Aye, an administrator of the monastery’s Facebook page. He said the stupas are believed to be more than a century old, and he did not know how the monastery would be restored.
It was not just pagodas and other Buddhist sites that suffered heavy damage. Photos shared by the Burma Human Rights Network showed collapsed minarets and domes of mosques in several parts of the country. Online news outlet Mizzima, citing local officials and residents, reported that 490 people were killed in the mosque collapse on Friday.
The 7.7-magnitude earthquake, centered in Myanmar's Sagaing region near Mandalay, damaged buildings not only in the country but also in neighboring Thailand. Myanmar sits on the boundary between two tectonic plates and is one of the world's most seismically active countries.
NEW YORK TIMES | MIZZIMA | BBC
Editor’s Choice: Traveling After Myanmar-Thailand Earthquake: What You Need to Know
Click here to get the latest news updates from Tempo on Google News
Traveling After Myanmar-Thailand Earthquake: What You Need to Know
17 jam lalu
Is it safe to travel to Thailand and Myanmar after the devastating earthquake?
Indonesian Embassy Details Earthquake Chronology in Myanmar and Thailand
20 jam lalu
The Indonesian Embassy in Bangkok provided a detailed chronology of the powerful earthquake that affected Myanmar and Thailand.
Indonesia's Prabowo Offers Aid for Earthquake Recovery in Myanmar and Thailand
22 jam lalu
President Prabowo Subianto expressed his concern regarding the devastating earthquakes in Myanmar and Thailand.
Powerful Earthquake Kills More Than 140 in Myanmar, Death Toll Likely to Rise
1 hari lalu
A U.S. government analysis based on the strength and depth of the earthquake estimated there could be thousands of deaths and severe economic loss.
Myanmar's Junta Declares State of Emergency as 7.7-Magnitude Earthquake Claims Lives
1 hari lalu
The Myanmar junta government has declared a state of emergency following a massive 7.7 Richter scale earthquake disaster.
Ministry Says No Reports Yet of Indonesians Affected by Destructive Myanmar Earthquake
1 hari lalu
The Foreign Ministry stated that a number of Indonesian citizens in Mandalay, Myanmar are in good condition following the earthquake
BMKG Explains Myanmar 'Doublet' Earthquake That Kills Several, Damages Buildings
1 hari lalu
A doublet earthquake occurs when two seismic events with similar magnitude strike within a relatively close time and location of the epicenter.
Strong Earthquake Strikes Myanmar, Buildings Collapse in Mandalay, Witnesses Say
1 hari lalu
A strong earthquake with a magnitude of 7.7 struck central Myanmar on Friday, March 28, 2025.
Southeast Asia Crime Index 2025: Which Country Has the Highest Crime Rate?
1 hari lalu
Singapore holds the top position as the safest country in Southeast Asia with the lowest crime index.
Myanmar Junta Preparing for December Election, Top General Says
2 hari lalu
Fighting has displaced more than three million people in Myanmar.
