Vertical shaft group found in China's Chongqing

Eighteen experts in spelunking and heritage protection from across China gathered in Wulong, southwest China's Chongqing, a world natural heritage site, to conduct scientific exploration and protection of the vertical shaft group.

Experts have discovered 56 shafts, 45 caves and 9 swallow holes within 25 square kilometers of the star vertical shaft, including one shaft with a vertical depth of 1,020 meters.

Experts believed that the star vertical shaft is an important part of Wulong Karst World Natural Heritage, with high scientific and aesthetic value, and is key to exploring the geology and geomorphology of the Three Gorges of the Yangtze River.

The chief landform in this region is karst and with heavy rainfall, Wulong provides good conditions for the development of underground caves. In June 2007, Three Natural Bridges, Furong Cave and Houping Giant Doline were inscribed in the World Natural Heritage List.