Pasalao

ຊາວບ້ານບາງຄົນກໍ່ບໍ່ຮູ້ວ່າແຜ່ນດິນໄຫວເພາະຄວາມສັ່ນສະເທືອນນ້ອຍ, ໂຊກດີທີ່ບໍ່ມີໃຜໄດ້ຮັບບາດເຈັບແລະຊັບສິນກໍ່ບໍ່ເສຍຫາຍ. ບໍ່ຮູ້ວ່າບ້ານເຮົາມີການອົບຮົມເລື່ອງການປ້ອງກັນໄພຈາກແຜ່ນດິນໄຫວຫລືບໍ່ ຖ້າເພິ່ນມີກໍ່ຄົງຈະດີເພາະຕໍ່ໄປເມືອຫນ້າອາດຈະມີເຫດການນີ້ເກີດຂຶ້ນເລື້ອຍໆເພາະທາງ
ພາກເຫນືອຂອງລາວແມ່ນນອນຢູ່ໃນເສັ້ນແຕກແຫງ.

NAN, Feb 24 -- A 4.7-magnitude earthquake hit the Lao Peoples' Democratic Republic late Wednesday, causing underground movements which could be felt in many provinces of Thailand and cracking the walls of the structure housing revered Phrathat Chae Haeng in Thailand's northern province of Nan.

The epicenter of the earthquake was in Sayaboury province of Laos, about 55 kilometers from Nan's Mae Rim district.

Wat Phrathat Chae Haeng is a sacred place of worship, situated on a mound on the eastern side of the Nan River, enshrining Buddha relics. Phrathat Chae Haeng is an important pilgrimage site for people born in the Year of the Rabbit. Northern people believe that travelling to pay respect to the Phrathat in their year of birth would reap good fortune for them.

Provincial Disaster Prevention and Mitigation Department Chief Tawat Petchweera said the initial inspection found cracks around the assembly hall adjacent to the stupa that houses the temple's Buddha relics. The damage could also seen on the roof of the hall.

The 500-year-old stupa is now under renovation so that the damage could not be inspected, he said.

Wattayakorn Sompit, a civil engineer, and Witthaya Chanthayot, an expert from the Fine Arts Department, said after inspecting the structure that the cracks were not as serious as initially feared.

Mr Witthaya said that the cracks occurred in walls which was not worrisome but if there were cracks in weight-bearing pillars of the structure,  it would be serious.

However, the authorities would keep a close watch in case the tremours happen again and expand the cracks, which could necessitate reconstruction.  (MCOT online news)

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