It is investigated that due to Super Cyclone Mokha, the Shwe Bon Thar Pagoda in Bagan area of Nyaung-U township’s a cultural heritage area, Mandalay Region, has been damaged.
Yesterday, on May 14th, Shwe Bon Thar Pagoda located in Shwe Tha Village in Nyaung-U Township, is about 70 feet high, was damaged.
A resident of Nyaung-U Township said, “the sun is very hot today. The water is already being pumped out, so the water will dry up in 1 or 2 days. There are tourists. I haven’t heard of other temples falling down yet. We will have to watch within a week”.
According to today’s statements of the Ministry of Information of the SAC seized the power, it is announced “in Bagan area of Nyaung-U township, the plinth of the square of Dhammayazika Pagoda was collapsed; the east arched gate of Htilominlo Pagoda was collapsed; the wall of the Thatbyinnyu Pagoda was collapsed and the Shwe Bon Thar Pagoda was collapsed and its ornamentation was caused landslides”.
It has also been announced that archeologists and relevant officials are working to restore the religious buildings and stupas damaged by the cyclone.
The Department of Meteorology and Hydrology also announced, “Due to the speed of Super Cyclone Mokha, the Bagan region has been hit by strong winds and the rainfall reached the highest level by heavy rains, since May 13th”.
According to this statement, Nyaung-U Township has broken the previous record of 4.76 inches in 2018, and in this time, the rainfall has reached 6.43 inches. This record is the highest during 58 years.
“Due to this heavy rain, some ancient Bagan pagodas are covered in water up to their feet, and the ancient buildings and wall paintings have not been damaged by the rain, but there are some rainwater leaks in some places,” said a local resident of Nyaung-U.
In addition, it is known that on May 13th, the auxiliary fire station’s troops of Bagan Area No. 5 went to help because a car was drowning after crossing the Minnanthu creek of Minnanthu village in Nyaung-U Township.
One of the fire station’s troops said, “they went and helped because a 150-year-old tamarind tree fell on a garage near a house in Mhan Cho Ward of Nyaung-U town”.