4 killed in Myanmar earthquake

Myanmar: At least four people has been killed and at least 185 ancient temples in Bagan damaged after a magnitude 6.8 earthquake struck central Myanmar on Wednesday.

Director of the Archeology Department in Bagan, Aung Aung Kyaw told reporters that around 185 pagodas in the ancient city of Bagan (the capital of the Burmese Kingdom of Pagan from the 9th to 13th centuries) were destroyed in the disaster that struck the country.

The Sulamani Temple, a popular temples for visitors to the city, were also affected.

The earthquake's epicenter was close to Chauk, a town on the Irrawaddy River about 30 kilometres south of Bagan.

Chauk has about 180,000 residents and is 173 kilometres northwest of the capital Naypyidaw.

General secretary of the Myanmar Earthquake Committee, Dr. Myo Thant, said other areas were not seriously affected.

Police officer from Pakokku (about 70 kilometers (45 miles) from the epicenter), Htay Win said one person there was killed and one wounded. "The person was killed by falling bricks from a building," he said.

The Ministry of Social Welfare, Relief and Resettlement reported two other deaths in closeby Thitapwe village.