Chiang Rai quakes add to locals’ worries and damage at historical site

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CHIANG RAI, 26 August 2014 – Three earthquakes of magnitudes between 2.5 and 4.8 took place early on Monday in Chiang Rai, causing further damage to at least one historical site that was already damaged from the magnitude 6.3 quake in May.

According to the abbot at Mae Suai Luang Temple in Mae Suai District, more cracks can now be seen at the temple’s main building, which is still under repair following the May earthquakes and aftershocks.

Locals in Mae Suai were reportedly distressed over Monday’s quakes, which deepened their worry about a collapse of the Mae Suai Dam. Officials from the Disaster Prevention and Mitigation office in the province have already started visiting locals afflicted by Monday’s quakes.

The first in a series of three earthquakes occurred at 2.35 am on Monday; the intensity was 2.5 on the Richter Scale. The second tremor, measured 4.8 on the Richter Scale, took place at 5.32 am. The third tremor measuring 3.9 closely followed at 5.42 am. The epicenter was about five kilometers underneath Mae Suai District.

The quakes were felt in several other districts in Chiang Rai.