AMN/ WEB DESK
A giant statue of Buddha in China has had its toes dampened by floodwater for the first time since the 1940s. The 71m-tall statue, a UNESCO heritage site, was carved out of a rock face near Chengdu in Sichuan province around the eighth century A.D.
It is normally high above the waterline, but the area has been hit by the worst flooding in 70 years. More than one lakh people had to be moved to safety. The statue is a hugely popular attraction and often included in cruises along the nearby Yangtze river and Three Gorges. State media said, 180 tourists had been rescued from the site as waters rose.
Sichuan province has activated its highest level emergency response after weeks of heavy rain caused record high water levels, with no sign of it ending soon. The Ministry of Water Resources has warned this could lead to severe flooding upstream, including the major city of Chongqing.