It's Musbizu's Beat: HORROR PHOTOS: Hundreds of Tourists Washed Away by Tidal Wave

They came in their droves, all hoping to catch a glimpse of what is considered to be one of Mother Nature's more unusual spectacles.
However, these spectators unwittingly became part of the show when a huge tidal bore burst through a dam and spilled over the riverbank, sweeping scores of tourists off their feet.
One moment these bystanders stood transfixed at the banks of the Qiantang River in Haining, in east China's Zhejiang province, waiting to witness the natural phenomenon.
HORROR PHOTOS: Hundreds of Tourists Washed Away by Tidal Wave

HORROR PHOTOS: Hundreds of Tourists Washed Away by Tidal Wave

swept away: Police try valiantly to protect the crowds from the tidal surge, including women and children, but the sheer weight and speed of the water carries off everyone in its path
The next they were running for their lives as a huge wave came crashing towards them, engulfing the crowds while others looked on helplessly.
While there were no fatalities, more than 20 people were injured after the wave swept through the throng, and some had to be be carried to receive medical attention.
The astonishing natural phenomenon, which is an abrupt uprising of river water, happens when the moon's gravity influence tides from the sea, moving them upstream, resulting in the mesmerising bore. See photos of the event below...
HORROR PHOTOS: Hundreds of Tourists Washed Away by Tidal Wave