China worried that the tsunami wiped out civilization 1,000 years ago

Chinese scientists warned that the tsunami that eradicated civilization in Guangdong province 1,000 years ago could return and destroy the coastal area, according to SCMP.

Scholars conducting research urged the government to take into account the risks in future plans, especially those involving strategic facilities such as nuclear power plants and critical infrastructure in Belt and Road initiative.

The study also confirmed the potential for tsunamis in the South China Sea.

'Such risks need to be considered in China's future plans to build nuclear plants, ports and oil and gas storage facilities,' the scientists emphasized in the study. The study was published in Chinese Journal of Science.

China worried that the tsunami wiped out civilization 1,000 years ago Picture 1

Chinese scientists warned of a tsunami 1,000 years ago. (Image: Urdupoint)

The conclusion was made by a scientific team from China University of Science and Technology and Eastern China Normal University after years of field research.

According to SCMP, the team , led by scientists Sun Liguang and Xie Zhouqing, first found evidence of a devastating tsunami in 1076 in 2013. The findings included coral reefs and reefs. burying on the sea floor 200m away from the coast. Researchers believe that only a tsunami can push them so far.

By computer analysis over the next several years, they concluded that an earthquake in the Manila Trench triggered a tsunami that hit present day Guangdong Province and Hainan Island as well as part of Thailand.

The team then found ceramic debris from the Song Dynasty (960-1279) in sedimentary layers on the southern island of present-day Shantou City. In addition, they found an additional 15,000 coins in a shipwreck near the island. This is considered as evidence that the island of Southern Austria was hit by tsunamis since these coins did not appear here before the tsunami appeared.

From these findings, the team calls on officials to build an early tsunami early warning system in the coming years.

According to Science and Technology Daily, China has begun deploying a tsunami warning system near the Manila channel in 2018. The system monitors the tide signals and notifies the Defense Department on land via satellites when it signals an abnormal signal.