Photo: from a report by Science and Technology Daily

A notice concerning an incident in which a tourist drove a vehicle into the waters of Hala Lake in Northwest China's Qinghai Province, dubbed the "last tear on Earth," was released by local authorities on Monday, Science and Technology Daily reported.

According to the notice, a video showing a tourist driving into the waters of Hala Lake to take photos was posted online on September 5 and went viral.

The footage showed an off-road vehicle parked in the shallow waters of the lake, with a man standing on its roof taking photos.

Hala Lake is an uninhabited area known as the "last tear on Earth." It is the second-largest lake in Qinghai, after Qinghai Lake. The lake lies in a high-altitude ecological sensitive area with a fragile environment. Unauthorized entry by individuals or vehicles into sensitive areas can cause varying degrees of disturbance and damage to the lake's ecosystem, per the notice.

The area is also at a high elevation, has no telecommunications signal and has extremely limited emergency rescue capabilities, meaning unauthorized entry poses serious risks to personal safety, the notice said.

Following the incident, local authorities swiftly launched a joint response and summoned the tourist involved for an interview, while providing criticism and education. The tourist said he had fully recognized the harm his actions had caused to the fragile plateau lake ecosystem, issued an apology video and made a serious self-reflection, pledging to follow ecological protection requirements in the future.

Relevant departments will continue to strengthen patrols and management in the Hala Lake area, step up public awareness campaigns on ecological protection, and encourage all sectors of society to work together to protect the lake's environment, according to the notice.

Authorities urged tourists and outdoor enthusiasts to comply with laws and regulations, practice responsible tourism and travel in an environmentally friendly manner.

Global Times