Beijing: Operators of a scenic park in Henan province, China, have reluctantly admitted that the nation’s tallest waterfall received assistance from a pipe due to insufficient rainfall.
Footage shared by a Douyin user, China’s equivalent of Tiktok, and reported by media outlets, revealed a tourist exposing a large pipe nestled at the summit of Yuntai Falls, renowned as the steepest cascade and a prominent draw within the Yuntai Mountain scenic area.
The source of Asia’s highest #waterfall is a water pipe?😅 In Xiuwu County, Henan Province, the Yuntai Mountain Scenic Area boasts the “highest waterfall in Asia,” the Yuntai Mountain Waterfall, with a staggering drop of 314 meters.
A man discovered with a #drone on Tuesday that… pic.twitter.com/m4EJ7rjQz7— Shanghai Daily (@shanghaidaily) June 4, 2024
The video, garnering 48,000 shares, sparked a deluge of social media reactions, prompting park authorities to issue a statement on Tuesday attributing the situation to seasonal variations and acknowledging a “minor augmentation during dry spells.”
In a bid to “enhance the visitor experience” and ensure a fulfilling journey for those who’ve undertaken long travels, the operators penned their rationale on their Weibo social media account.
Chinese netizens seized upon the revelation of the pipe.
Commenting on Weibo, a user remarked, “The issue isn’t just the water pipe itself, but its unsightly installation. Others would at least conceal it more elegantly.”
Another netizen criticized, “This action shows a lack of respect for natural laws and the visitors.”
The waterfall, touted by park officials as Asia’s highest, boasts a staggering 314-meter vertical descent.
In 2023, the Yuntai Mountain scenic area attracted over seven million visitors, according to local tourism authorities.
Some adopted a more reconciliatory stance toward the pipe’s usage, with one user stating, “It’s preferable to have water flowing, even if assisted,” while another pondered, “It’s commendable for the scenic area to uphold the landscape integrity during dry spells.”
