Ancient Buddhist statues revealed in China's Yangtze river by receding water levels from drought

Plunging water levels in the Yangtze River in China’s southwestern city of Chongqing have revealed a trio of Buddhist statues believed to be 600 years old, state media has reported.

The three statues were found on the highest part of the island reef called Foyeliang, initially identified as built during the Ming and Qing dynasties. One of the statues depicts a monk sitting on a lotus pedestal.

The Yangtze’s water levels have been falling rapidly due to a drought and a heat wave in China’s southwestern region. As many as 66 rivers across 34 counties in Chongqing have dried up, a state broadcaster reported on Friday.

When outdoor enthusiast Gu Yunfeng heard about the appearance of the once-submerged island and statues, he decided to swim out to see the 600-year-old icons.

"I don’t think we will see it again when the water level comes back, so I’m here to see it. This is a culture that our ancestors have left us,” Gu said.

In Europe, weeks of drought across the continent have also revealed long-submerged treasures, such as the emergence of a prehistoric stone circle dubbed the “Spanish Stonehenge” and the hulks of German World War II warships.

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