Yangtze River Dips To Reveal 600-Year-Old Buddhist Statues
Photo 7253822 © Martinmark | Dreamstime.com
Climate change has uncovered a lost island in the southwestern city of Chongqing in China. Submerged with it was a trio of Buddhist statues believed to have dated back to the Ming dynasty, state-owned news agency Xinhua reports, via Reuters.
The region has suffered a drought and heatwave, which have caused a drain on the Yangtze basin. As water levels receded, three statues surfaced from the highest part of an island reef called Foyeliang, said to have been around since the Ming and Qing dynasties.
Among the 600-year-old statues was a carving of a monk meditating atop a lotus pedestal.
The Sichuan province has witnessed its most drastic heatwave in six decades, with temperatures soaring above 40°C (104°F). Forecasters predict that the heat could prolong well into September. The Yangtze River itself has collected 45% less rainfall than usual since July.
A submerged island in Chongqing, China, and a trio of Buddhist statues resurfaced due to plunging water levels on the Yangtze River https://t.co/XmkCqh1ofq pic.twitter.com/CP1rnHYVQD
— Reuters (@Reuters) August 21, 2022
[via Reuters and Sky News, cover photo 7253822 © Martinmark | Dreamstime.com]
