Seven tourists killed and eight injured in flash floods in China amid warnings of ‘wild trips’
Seven tourists were killed and eight injured after a massive flood hit a valley in western China’s Sichuan province last week.
The disaster on August 13 in a valley in Pengzhou, in a remote corner of the county, sparked fears of ‘wild rides’ advertised to young people on social media .
Influencers and their platforms are facing calls to act responsibly in favor of potentially dangerous trips, The Guardian reports.
A video showing floodwaters flooding through the valley and washing away people trapped in its path has gone viral on social media.
State-run media outlet Global Times said: ‘Warning signs and chain link fences have been erected and even security personnel have been dispatched to warn visitors, but those measures are mostly inefficient. “
Tourists crossing the river in Pengzhou in the Sichuan valley, China, overwhelmed by sudden flash floods
‘Wild trips’, or ‘yeyou’ in Chinese, became a social media phenomenon in 2020 and saw young people travel to off-grid locations for adventure. save.
Once such were the Sichuan Valley, which has been seen by influencers on Douyin – the Chinese version of Tiktok – as a haven for ‘secret resorts’, and Little Red Book, similarly. like Instagram.
As a result, lesser-known areas are becoming popular tourist destinations for young people in a relatively short period of time.
But the country’s unspoiled landscape is a danger to those unfamiliar with the terrain. The Sichuan Valley, locally known as ‘Longcaogou’ is a flood discharge channel where flash floods and mudslides are frequent.
The disaster occurred on August 13 in a valley in Pengzhou, a remote corner of Sichuan province, western China.
It is thought that Covid’s travel restrictions have played a part in changing people’s holiday choices, with many choosing wilderness trips over traditional destinations.
Xu Guilin, a partner at law firm Jurisino in Beijing, said: ‘When it comes to scenic spots that have not been commercially developed and pose a safety risk, media platforms have an obligation. issue a safety warning and monitor the content of the ‘ ‘ bulletin of the Beijing Youth Daily.
‘Publishers of such content should also remind the public of the potential danger a destination poses. Otherwise, both the platform and the publisher are subject to certain liabilities. ‘