World's largest sitting Buddha being eroded by acid rain in China

BEIJING, Tuesday (AFP) The world's largest sitting Buddha in southwestern China is being worn down by acid rain, sparked by worsening pollution, state media reported Tuesday.

Recent visitors to the 71-metre (234-feet) tall Buddha, just outside the city of Leshan in Sichuan province, have noticed black and grey stains on the face and body on the more than 1,200-year-old monument, said the China Daily.

Environmental experts said heavy pollution in the province brought on by its rapid economic development has caused acid rain, which in turn is damaging the precious World Heritage-listed artefact.

The giant Buddha, 17 metres (56 feet) taller than the Buddha destroyed by Taliban authorities at Bamiyan in Afghanistan in 2001, is carved into a river bluff.

Its construction dates back to the Tang dynasty. A 30-million-dollar renovation project was only carried out four years ago.