Great Wall of China suffers damage beyond repair; two workers arrested

A section of the Great Wall of China has been damaged beyond repair by two workers, who have been arrested.

The two suspects, a 38-year-old man and a 55-year-old woman, used a digger to create a shortcut through the iconic landmark, according to the police in Youyo County in Shanxi province. The two workers ended up causing "irreversible damage" to the Great Wall of China, as per State broadcaster CCTV.

The police in the area were informed about the incident on Aug. 24. The cops then followed the tracks of machinery in the dusty road into Horinger County where they found the two suspects – Wang and Zheng, who were contracted to work on a construction project nearby. The two people were detained and their case is currently under investigation.

As per various news reports, the two suspects dug a "big gap" by widening an existing cavity of the Great Wall so that their excavator could pass through it. Police said the two workers wanted to reduce the distance they had to travel.

The Great Wall of China, a UNESCO World Heritage Site, stretches more than 5,000 miles. Its construction began in the 3rd century BC to prevent foreign invaders and continued for centuries.

It is understood that the affected section of the wall, the 32^nd Great Wall, goes back to the Ming dynasty, 1368-1644. Located in Youyu County, the 32nd Great Wall is categorised as a historical and cultural site that is protected at the provincial level.

Over the years, the massive structure of the Great Wall has suffered from both natural wear and tear, as well as inadequate maintenance. It is understood that more than 30% of the Ming Great Wall has disappeared entirely, with only 8.2% of it considered well preserved. Out of the 8.2% existing part of the wall, a significant portion, three-quarters of it, is in poor condition.

It has also been reported in recent times that local farmers are responsible for the majority of the degradation of the wall by stealing bricks or stones to build houses or animal pens. Since the government has made the rules stricter to preserve the Great Wall, the latest two suspects have been caught.

The Great Wall of China, which spans a total of 21,196.18km – begins on the eastern coast and extends to the far western deserts, twisting through 404 towns in 15 provincial regions across northern and central China.