NANCHANG, Dec. 30 (Xinhua) -- Three tourists were sentenced to prison and fined 6 million yuan (about 859,900 U.S. dollars) in total for causing damage to a world heritage site in east China's Jiangxi Province, local authorities said.
The three tourists from neighboring Zhejiang Province drilled 26 holes in a 128-meter-tall rock on Sanqing Mountain, a world natural heritage site, and used ropes to climb to the top of the rock on April 15, 2017, according to the site's administration committee. They also refused to listen to staff guidance at the site.
The rock, known as the "Giant Python of the Mountain," is of scientific and aesthetic significance after more than 300 million years of geological evolution, but has poor stability and is only seven meters in diameter at the thinnest part.
Geological experts said the rock had sustained damage from the tourists' drilling.
One tourist surnamed Zhang was sentenced to one year and a tourist surnamed Mao was sentenced to six months. The total fine will be used to protect and restore ecological environment.
The Sanqingshan UNESCO Global Geopark in Jiangxi Province was added to the World Heritage List in April 2019, and is famous for the juxtaposition of granite stones and vegetation.
