800-year-old monastery develops cracks following recent earthquake in Ladakh

Kargil/Jammu, Dec 20 (PTI) An over 800-year-old monastery in Ladakh’s Zanskar area developed cracks following a recent earthquake and was declared unsafe, an official said on Wednesday.

A 5.5-magnitude earthquake followed by two aftershocks of lower intensity struck Zanskar in Kargil district on Saturday.

The official said a government team headed by Tehsildar (Zanskar) Sonam Dorjay inspected the earthquake-affected areas, including the 800-year-old main lakhang (protectors’ room) of Karsha monastery.

The monastery developed cracks due to the earthquake, the official said, adding the team decided to declare the site unsafe for “performing prayer and gathering”.

The team requested the monastery monks to restrict entry in the affected lakhang, the official said.