'Nyatapola temple at risk'

The roof of the historical Nyatopola temple in Bhaktapur has started leaking.

The roof has been covered with mould and the idols inside are at risk, aehchaeologists said, reports RSS.

Wooden and metal objects in the area are at risk of irreversible damage, said Om Prakash Yadav, a chemist at the Central Cultural Heritage Laboratory. "This might pose a threat to the entire heritage site if measures are not taken immediately."

The walls of the five-story temple, built during the Malla era in the now UNESCO world heritage site, has also been infested by lichen and various types of weed.

Uncontrolled growth of such plants threatens the entire temple and idols inside, said Bharat Raj Raut, Chief Chemist and Archaeologist at the National Art Museum, Bhaktapur. nepalnews.com