Shanghai, Mar 2 (IANS): A 130-year-old Buddhist temple here is facing an alarming situation due to termites, ageing structures and nearby high-rise buildings.

The Jade Buddha Temple in Putuo district was founded in 1882 during the Qing Dynasty (1640-1911) with two jade Buddha statues imported to Shanghai from Myanmar by sea.

It not only attracts Chinese visitors but is also internationally famous, the Shanghai Daily reported.

A report by the local Architecture Quality Exam Station showed the buildings inside the temple are troubled by termite damage as well as cracks and tilting structures.

Reconstruction efforts are under way, aiming to fix the safety risks and consolidate the temple structures.

But the temple, with narrowly-spaced buildings, is facing risks of fire and other accidents, said temple abbot Jue Xing.

All the temple buildings are made of wood and brick, making them vulnerable to fire.

Burning joss sticks and lighting candles are major ways to pray among people inside Buddhist temples, which only increases the fire risk, he said.

"On New Year's Eve and New Year's Day, big crowds came in to pray and wish for good luck, traffic hit about 100,000 people," he said.

Such huge crowds have always forced police to send 70 to 80 officers just to keep order.