Great Wall back above the surface

Tourists look at part of the Great Wall which surfaced in Hebei Province.

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A SECTION of the Great Wall in north China's Hebei Province which had been under water since 1975, has appeared above the surface recently because of the lack of rain in the area, Xinhua news agency reported yesterday.

The 50-kilometer section built in Ming Dynasty (1368-1644) near Tangshan City of the province was submerged for the construction of the Panjiakou Reservoir, the largest hydro project in north China.

The water level of the reservoir has dropped by 5 meters because the lack of rain and the increasing water consumption in lower reach areas of the reservoir, making the section appear again, the local water authority said.

The underwater section had appeared above water temporarily several times in recent years because of drought.

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