The first stage of emergency main­tenance on the quake-affected That­byinnyu Temple has been completed, according to the Department of Archae­ology and National Museum (Bagan Branch). A group of Chinese experts led the renovation works on the pagoda, which was damaged by an earthquake in the Bagan Ancient Cultural Zone in 2016.

The leading committee oversee­ing the renovation of ancient cultur­al heritage in Bagan announced on 1 December that the experts conducted strength tests on the pagoda in line with the initial renovation plan. So far, they have observed no indications of additional deterioration or instability.

The earthquake on 24 August 2016 affected 389 ancient pagodas and tem­ples in Bagan. — TWA/NT