The 7.1 magnitude earthquake that struck Yushu of northwest China's Qinghai Province Wednesday brought serious damages to local cultural relics, according to the State Administration of Cultural Heritage Friday.

A Buddhist pagoda, rated as national cultural heritage, and its corresponding palace had collapsed in the earthquake; a temple rated as provincial cultural heritage was largely destroyed; and another provincial level temple had crumbled, leaving many monks dead or missing.

A Buddhist scripture buried under rubble was unearthed Thursday, undamaged. Now the scripture is in the custody of the cultural heritage authorities.

(Xinhua News Agency April 17, 2010)