“Totally Destroyed”: Earthquake Levels Nepal Historic Sites

The devastating 7.8-magnitude earthquake on Saturday that left thousands dead in Nepal also damaged or destroyed several of the country's iconic sites, many with deep religious and historical significance and an economically vital role in the country's tourism industry, NBC News reported. As many as half of the country's historic sites — including three UNESCO world heritage sites — "are totally destroyed," a UNESCO representative told U.N. Radio. The damage is expected to put a dent in the country's tourism industry, a brutal hit to the poor mountain country's already ailing economy. As the death toll mounted, rescuers struggled to reach Nepal's more rural communities, where the earthquake leveled poorly-constructed homes were leveled and landslides threatened to bury whole villages.

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