Viewing the tidal bore has become an annual tradition for people living by the mouth of the Qiantang River and a popular attraction for visitors as well.
Hundreds of people came at the banks of the Qiantang River in Haining, in east China’s Zhejiang province to see what is considered to be one of Mother Nature’s more unusual spectacles.
However, the spectators unwittingly became part of the show when a huge tidal bore burst through a dam and spilled over the riverbank, sweeping scores of tourists off their feet.
The next moment people were running to save their lives as the huge wave came crashing towards them, engulfing the crowd.
There were no fatalities reported, but more than 20 people were injured after the wave swept through the throng, and some had to receive medical attention.
The astonishing natural phenomenon, which is an abrupt uprising of river water, happens when the moon’s gravity influence tides from the sea, moving them upstream, resulting in the mesmerizing bore.
Every year hundreds of people come in Haining to celebrate the Mid-Autumn Festival of Qiantang River Tidal Bore Watching by eating moon cake and watching the tide
Yanguan Town in Haining, Hangzhou has been regarded as the best place to watch. The annual International Qiantang River Tidal Bore Watching Festival is held here on 18th day of the eighth lunar month.
Authorities advise public to watch the tide in the designated areas, as the tide height may changes quickly and swept the visitors away without notice. Each year, few people die from tide watching, since most of them go beyond the designated tide watching areas.
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Bores only occur in a few locations throughout the world, usually in areas with a large tidal range and where incoming tides are funneled into a shallow, narrowing lake or river.
China’s Qiantang River boasts the largest bore, 8.93 metres (about 30 feet) high and travelling up to 25mph. When the tide approaches, its mighty surging tidal waves look like ten thousand horses galloping ahead. Its earthshaking sound rumbles like muffled thunder. Its force seems to stem from the momentum of an avalanche.
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