September 13, 2024
BAGAN – In the Bagan Nyaung U area, a new rainfall record was set in 60 years, and some of the walls of some of Bagan’s ancient pagodas were reported to have collapsed.
September 12, Nyaung Oo City According to the Department of Meteorology and Hydrology, 8.51 inches of rain fell, the most in 60 years since the camp was established in 1964, according to records.
Nyaung Oo City Daw Khin Hla Nu, Head of the Meteorology and Hydrology Office, said, “We have never experienced such rainfall. Unexpected rainfall. At that time, the maximum rainfall was just over 6 inches. South China saw strong rain and monsoon winds. It is a whirlwind. It rains a lot,” he said.
Due to heavy rains, the 13th century pagoda No. 1042 elephant temple, 12th century Pagoda No. 167 Pagoda on Mung Pita, A few parts of the temple wall fell off. Some temples were leaking water.
U Ze Myo Lin, an expert in the preservation and repair of ancient temples, said that the reason for the collapse were waterlogging, water vapor content in the atmosphere, and not getting enough sunlight and heat. His social networking site commented that he collapsed due to lack of grip strength.
A person who is involved in the conservation of Bagan Pagoda wall paintings said that no affected wall paintings have been found yet, and water seepage has been found in five ancient pagodas.
In the Bagan region, all the ancient lakes that were repaired due to heavy rains and floods in the 2023 Mokha storm were filled with water. The fallen trees have been cleared. The Nyang U Fire Department said that there was no major damage.
According to the records of the Nyaung Oo Meteorological Office, in the ten-year period from 1994 to 2003, there were only two (heavy) rainfalls of more than 3 inches, and in the second ten-year period from 2004 to 2013, rainfall of more than 3 inches in 24 hours increased to six times.