HIGHLIGHTS
A powerful 6.8 magnitude earthquake shook central Myanmar on 24 August 2016, killing at least four people and damaging famous pagodas in Bagan and other regions.
The earthquake, with its epicenter about 12 miles west of Chauk and about 123 miles southwest of the Mandalay seismological observatory, was recorded at 5.04 pm, according to the Meteorology and Hydrology Department.
There are no confirmed casualties, one man and one woman were killed in Pakokku when a tobacco processing factory collapsed and two young girls at Yenanchaung were killed after a landslide and house collapsed.
Currently, the Emergency Operations Centre (EOC) has not been activated and the Union Government is closely monitoring the situation.
Situation Analysis
Some buildings, including offices, schools, pagodas and houses, have been damaged in Naypyitaw, Mandalay and Magway regions. Parliament in Naypyitaw has registered minor damages.
About 185 pagodas in Bagan were damaged by the earthquake. Localized power cuts have been experienced in historical city of Bagan and Nyaung-U.
Houses have reportedly been destroyed in Pwint Phyu and one building has collapsed in downtown Magway. One pagoda in Kyauk Pan Daung and several more in Nyaung-Oo have also reportedly been damaged or collapsed. Another pagoda in Myauk U Township in Rakhine has also collapsed. In Yangon, the quake was also strongly felt, with no reports of damage to date. The quake was not felt in Kachin and Shan States.