Receding water levels of China's Yangtze reveal ancient Buddhist statues

The shallow banks of Yangtze River, due to low water levels caused by drought, near the confluence with the Jialing River in Chongqing, China. - Bloomberg

BEIJING (Reuters): Plunging water levels of the Yangtze River have revealed a submerged island in China’s southwestern city of Chongqing and a trio of Buddhist statues on it that are believed to be 600 years old, state media Xinhua 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.