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Environment

See the world's largest tidal bore on the Qiantang river in China

Known by locals as the Silver Dragon, this tidal bore can reach 4 metres tall and travel at speeds of up to 10 metres per second

30 July 2025

JIAXING, CHINA - JULY 27: Tourists watch tidal bore of the Qiantang River on July 27, 2025 in Jiaxing, Zhejiang province of China. A tidal bore of the Qiantang River arrives at its most heyday. (Photo by VCG/VCG via Getty Images)

VCG/VCG via Getty Images

Crowds gathered along the Qiantang river in Hangzhou, China, on 27 July to watch the “Silver Dragon” pass. This is no fire-breathing monster, though, but a tidal bore, a phenomenon where a tidal wave from the sea enters a river and reverses its current. This is the world’s largest bore, with waves that can reach 4 metres tall – and larger if it hits an obstacle – and travel at up to 10 metres per second.

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