China floods threaten ancient Leshan Buddha statue, thousands evacuated from west Sichuan

Heavy torrential rains are wreaking havoc across China, especially along the Yangtze River. According to Chinese state media, western Sichuan province has been the worst hit by the relentless rains, and an estimated 100,000 people have been evacuated from Leshan and Ya'an cities.

The rising floodwaters also threatened the iconic Leshan Buddha, a 71-metre statue carved into the side of a mountain that overlooks the confluence of three rivers. The Leshan Buddha is classified as a UNESCO world heritage site.

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UNESCO heritage site threatened 

Chines state media reported that floodwater has not reached the statue’s feet since the founding of the People's Republic of China back in 1949, indicating the sheer severity of the rains and rising waters.

The Leshan Buddha is carved out of a cliffside made of red bed sandstones. The Buddha statue overlooks three rivers and is believed to have been built during the Tang Dynasty between 713 and 803. 

As per a tweet by China Daily, the flood water at one point had submerged the toes of the Leshan Buddha statue. The floodwater is reported to have somewhat receded and the toes of the statue are once again visible.

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Hubei province, the infamous point of origin of the novel coronavirus pandemic, is located in eastern Sichuan and authorities are reported to have stated that the giant Three Gorges Dam is facing the largest flood peak in history.

To make matters worse, China's Guangdong province bore the brunt of Typhoon Higos when it made landfall in Zhuhai on August 19. The typhoon had drenched Hong Kong for two days before drifting northwards. China's National Meteorological Center noted that Zhuhai experienced winds of up to 126 kilometres per hour.

Flooding in China this year has cost more than 200 lives and infrastructural damages worth up to $25 billion. Severe weather across China has affected 38 million people since the month of June.

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