YANGON, Feb. 19 (Xinhua) -- Renovation work on earthquake-hit pagodas in Myanmar ancient heritage sites is nearly complete, leaving only 20 pagodas still under restoration, said the official Global New Light of Myanmar on Tuesday.
So far, 335 pagodas, including 224 which were partially damaged in the ancient sites of Bagan and Mrauk U as well as regions of Sagaing and Magway more than two years ago, have been conserved without damage to their original architectural design, the Archaeology and National Museum Department of the Ministry of Religious Affairs and Culture was quoted as saying.
A 6.8-magnitude earthquake, which struck on Aug. 24, 2016, had damaged 389 pagodas in the Bagan Ancient Cultural Heritage Zone.
Following the quake, the authorities divided the damaged pagodas into three prioritized groups for restoration and conservation, with 36 pagodas being set as the first group, 53 the second and 300 the third.
These pagodas were restored and conserved in line with international standard and with advice from experts of the UN Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) and the post-earthquake Technical Coordination Forum.
Myanmar is working with the UNESCO in an effort to make its ancient city of Bagan to meet the standard to be enlisted as one of the world heritages.
With about 3,000 ancient pagodas and religious edifices, the Bagan Ancient Cultural Heritage Zone has been in existence for more than 1,000 years, standing as one of the tourist attractions of Myanmar.
