U Kyaw Hla, the secretary of the Swan Oo Ponnya Shin Pagoda Trustees, said that the cleanup efforts at the Swan Oo Ponnya Shin Pagoda, which was damaged in the Mandalay earthquake, are 60 percent complete.
The open structures on the four sides of the Swan Oo Ponnya Shin Pagoda, along with the Buddha statues enshrined in the eastern, southern, and northern structures, were damaged, and the pagoda itself was destroyed. The Tatmadaw, Police Force, Fire Brigade, and charitable organizations are collaborating to clear the debris. Additionally, the Ayeyarwady Foundation is offering assistance with machinery and manpower.
Negotiations for reconstruction will commence only after the clearing work has been completed, said U Kyaw Hla. The March 28 Mandalay earthquake caused significant damage to many pagodas, monasteries, and nunneries in the Sagaing Hills, and donors are needed for the reconstruction efforts.
