Onlookers were swept off their feet by a giant wave in Qiantang River in east China’s Zhejiang Province on Monday.
“It started as a white line, and it sounded like thousands of horses running when the waves were approaching. It is really amazing,” said one tourist.
While the site is world-famous for its waves, it still took some tourists by surprise. Hundreds of spectators came to see the splendid views of the natural tidal phenomenon.
The wave is known as a tidal bore — when an incoming tide waves are funneled upstream and against the current into a shallow area. While tidal bores only occur in a few places across the globe, China’s Qiantang River is home to the world’s largest. It can grow to 30 feet (9 meters) high, and travel up to speeds of 25 miles (40 kilometers) an hour.