Beautiful scenes can disappear on the Yangtze River

 Heavy rains and floods severely affected scenic spots and historical sites such as Tay Lang gorge, Than Nu stream or Phuong Hoang ancient town

The Three Gorges is considered one of the 10 most famous scenic spots in China, located on the Yangtze River (Changjiang). Stretching over 190 km, the Three Gorges are formed by the lower reaches of the river, from Chongqing City to Yichang City in Hubei Province. This is also the site of the construction of the Three Gorges Dam, the world's largest hydroelectric dam with the function of flood control. The Dam Scenic Area opened in 1997 and includes a scenic spot and a memorial garden. From the observatory, visitors can enjoy a panoramic view of the massive construction and Hoang Lang Temple, the largest ancient building in the area. Photo: Hugo Mauricio Lopez V/Shutterstock.

Recently, heavy rain appeared on tributaries in the upstream of the Yangtze River, causing the flow into the Three Gorges reservoir to begin to increase on the afternoon of June 27. To cope with the massive influx of water, the Tam Hiep reservoir was increased the discharge threshold to 35,000 m3/s. This could have serious effects on the attractions in the area. Among them is Tay Lang Gorge, located east of the Three Gorges Dam, with an overall length of 120 km. Flowing from west to east, starting from Ba Dong town and ending at Yichang city in Hubei province, this area possesses natural beauty with high mountains and rugged sand beaches. Tourists coming here can experience the canyon bungee jumping from a height of nearly 100 meters, the swing 18 meters above the water, the largest swing reaching 68 meters. In addition, guests also have the opportunity to learn about folk dances through fixed performances at Ba Dong theater. There are two popular sightseeing routes for tourists: from Chongke to Yichang, and from Yichang back to Chongqing. Photo: Chiew Lo/Flickr.

Located on the northern bank of the Yangtze River, 190 km from Chongqing City, Shi Baozhai Temple is considered a jewel of ancient architecture. The pagoda is perched vertically on a rock about 40 meters high. The pagoda consists of 12 floors, standing firmly on the cliff without using nails to drive columns and trusses. Each floor of this pagoda worships famous generals of the Three Kingdoms period. To protect the pagoda from rising water levels, since 2005, the government built a dike 800 m long and 50 m high around the temple. The top of the dike has a footpath for visitors. The temple was opened to welcome guests in 2009. Photo: Numage/Shutterstock.

Baidicheng, located on the north bank of the river, is surrounded by water on three sides. This is a famous scenic spot with beautiful scenery, which has appeared in many poetic and prose works through the ages such as Spring and Autumn and Warring States. Photo: BBS.

More than 130 mysterious coffins (hanging coffins) were built on the steep cliffs of Hang Tien cave, dating back about 1,200 years. Burial of the dead in the mysterious coffin is an ancient custom, to protect the body from floods and wild animals, with the concept of helping ancestors return to heaven quickly. Some coffins hang at an altitude of more than 500 m. Photo: Ulli.

The ancient town of Phoenix belongs to the Tu Gia autonomous region, the Xiangxi Miao people in western Hunan province, about 53 km from Jishou, about 280 km from Zhangjiajie. Dating back to the Spring and Autumn Warring States Period (770 – 476 BC), it is one of the well-preserved ancient towns in China. The old town impresses visitors with riverside wooden houses, supported by pillars. In 2010, a large flood caused damage to old houses, especially wooden pillars. After that, most of it was reinforced with cement and bricks. At the end of June this year, prolonged heavy rain created a large flood, flowing through the streets of the town, leaving many people stranded. The usually green river that flows through the town has turned a cloudy red. Photo: Sumeth anu/Shutterstock.