Droughtinduced retreat in the Yangtze River has uncovered a submerged island in the southwest Chinese city of Chongqing. A trio of 600yearold Buddhist statues were discovered at the site, state media Xinhua estimates.
The three statues were found on the highest part of the island’s reef, called Foyeliang, and were originally identified as structures of the Ming (13681644) and Qing (16441912) dynasties. One of the statues shows a monk sitting in the lotus position on a pedestal.
The Yangtze River’s water level has dropped rapidly due to the drought and heatwave that ravaged China’s southwestern region. Rainfall in the Yangtze River basin has been about 45% lower than normal since July, and high temperatures are expected to continue for at least another week, according to official forecasts.
As many as 66 rivers flowing through 34 counties in Chongqing have dried up, state broadcaster CCTV said on Friday.
Weeks of severe drought across Europe have also uncovered longsunk treasures.
A major European river, the Danube, has reached one of its lowest levels in a century, revealing the hulls of more than 20 German warships that sank near the port city of Prahovo, Serbia, during World War II. A bomb from the same conflict was discovered in the bed of the Po River in Italy, whose navigation has been hampered by the drought.
In Germany, the “Hungersteine” appeared on the Elbe, rocks with landmarks and engraved messages about the catastrophes caused by water shortages and reminders of the hardship of the droughts. According to companies, the water level on the Rhine is so low that even empty boats cannot sail.
In France, Portugal and Spain, which have also experienced high temperatures and belowaverage rainfall, That they are a big concern Forest fires.
Scientists point out that the increase in extreme events is directly linked to the humancaused climate emergency.