Mexico's Famed Aztec Temple Damaged in Storm

Mexico's "House of Eagles," the ornate temple complex that once hosted the elite warriors of the Aztec empire, suffered damages after being hit by a major rain and hail storm late Wednesday.

According to Reuters, the metal and the acrylic roof that partly protects one of the most important ancient sites in Mexico collapsed due to the heavy rains experienced in Mexico City. The incident happened just a day after the city's archaeological zone reopened from pandemic closures.

Mexican President Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador pledged Thursday that the government would repair any damages caused by the heavy rainfall to the House of Eagles.

Based on reports, the ancient site was covered by a large metal roof of modern construction as a protection, but the storm toppled it. The damaged structure is just adjacent to the ruins of the holiest shrine of the Aztec, which is known as the Templo Mayor.

In a statement released on Thursday, Mexico's culture ministry described the damage to the ruins as minor, recoverable, and restorable. The culture ministry said the removal of the collapsed roof would also start immediately.

The "House of Eagles" features elaborately carved relief sculptures on its walls and benches. The carvings in the Aztec ancient site depict warriors in procession and blood-letting rituals.

The remnants of its painted murals have also remained visible for five centuries. Even after the 1521 Spanish conquest of the Aztec capital and the damages that the city endured.

No Major Damage on Aztec Ruins

In a Twitter post, the lead archeologist of the Templo Mayor, Leonardo Lopez Lujan, said he was happy that there's no major damage on the site.

He also shared that he felt relieved that the structure only had minor damages in its decorations, and significant damage has been avoided.

The Templo Mayor's lead archeologist noted that despite not being superstitious, he still praised Tezcatlipoca. Lopez Lujan thanked the Aztec god of night and sorcery, who was the patron deity of Aztec kings and warriors.

Lopez Lujan also shared that the three security guards who sought refuge from the storm under the roof miraculously escaped from harm or death.

The roof of the ancient tumbled down, but only one of them was lightly injured, the culture ministry confirmed. The culture ministry further noted that aside from the roof, the perimeter fence was damaged.

The ruins of the Templo Mayor, which the Aztecs believed to be the center of the universe, are located just off the capital of Mexico's main Zocalo plaza. It is next to a colonial-era Roman Catholic cathedral, Aljazeera reported.

The open-air ruins and an adjacent museum that houses the site's monumental sculptures draw major tourists to the city for decades. Archaeologists first uncovered the temple ruins in 1914. However, they were not able to excavate them until the 1970s.

In 1987, the historic center of Mexico City was named a UNESCO heritage site, International Business Times reported.

WATCH: Aztec Temple Ruins Discovered in Mexico City - From Al Jazeera English