500 year old temple shaken in Nan earthquake this morning

PHOTO: Tourwatthai.com

The Nan province, in far north Thailand, on the Laos border, was the epicentre for an earthquake measuring 6.1 magnitude on the Richter scale. The tremor shook the province, and other parts of Thailand, at 6.50am, local time today.

The US Geological Survey report that the quake struck 10 kilometres below the surface about 92 kilometres northeast of the main Nan city area.

Several buildings in Nan, including a 500 year old ordination hall in a Wat (temple), were damaged by the quake. Laos residents near the border also reported the quake although reports of damage have been limited at this stage.

Cracks appeared on a border patrol police school and teacher lodgings in Chalerm Phrakiat district, the Government Savings Bank office in Tha Wang Pa district and the ubosot of Wat Phra That Khao Noi, which is located on a hilltop in Tambon Chaisathan of Muang district, according to reports on Thai PBS World.

Local officials said that cracks appeared in the foundations of the ubosot and the temple is waiting for fine arts officials to arrive to assess the damage, adding that the temple suffered serious damage in a quake 57 years ago. The temple’s abbot, Phra Maha Charun Sirithammo, said the tremors were so strong that he and the other monks had to run out of the buildings in fear they would collapse.

Kathayuth Chupoon, the managing director of Hong Sa power plant in Laos, reported that several buildings in the plant’s compound were damaged, but officials could not yet gain access to assess the damage due to safety concerns.

In Thailand’s north-eastern province of Khon Kaen, medical personnel and patients were rapidly evacuated from Ratchapruek Hospital this morning, after strong vibrations were felt.

Shakes were felt as far south as the capital this morning with many people contacting The Thaiger alerting us to the tremors.

SOURCE: Thai PBS World