BAGAN, 18 August 2015: Myanmar’s Ministry of Culture says close to 12 temples in Bagan are in urgent need of protection due to recent rains and erosion.

Temple No. 1752, built in the 13th century, buckled last week after being pounded by weeks of unusually heavy rain, the ministry said. Only about 20% of the original structure remains.

The temple was damaged by an earthquake in 1975, but a 2003 renovation that cost USD2,029 failed to prevent subsequent structural failure.

Irrawaddy media quoted the ministry’s Department of Archaeology director, Kyaw Oo Lwin, saying other temples could suffer the same fate if they were not immediately tended to.

“The recent rain was unusual in Bagan. Rain penetrated structures through cracks and the bricks were compromised, so it collapsed easily.”

The director said a team of archaeology department staff have been deployed to examine small temples and assess structural threats. Nearly a dozen of Bagan’s some 3,000 temples were found to be in a critical condition.

Association of Myanmar Architects chairman, Sun Oo, said that while recent rains may have exacerbated structural weaknesses, the temples have already withstood centuries of volatile weather and should be carefully restored after comprehensive review.

“We’re now carrying out assessments in line with UNESCO standards. In the past, ministries didn’t follow the rules about how to maintain old temples, that’s why some of them collapsed. Maintaining temples is urgent, but it should not be done hastily.”

The Bagan area spans about 42 square kilometres (16 miles) peppered with ancient temples built between the 9th and 13th centuries, when some 55 Buddhist kings ruled the Bagan Dynasty.

The Bagan Archaeological Zone is one of 14 sites in Myanmar to be nominated for inclusion on the UNESCO World Heritage List, and experts believe Bagan will be listed within the next few years.