Tourists Unable to Avoid Pesticide Spraying by Drones at Lushan West Sea Scenic Area – Response from the Scenic Area
Recently, the Lushan West Sea Scenic Area in Jiangxi Province received complaints from tourists about drones spraying pesticides at low altitude within the scenic area. Tourists were unable to avoid the spray, and some experienced physical discomfort, attracting widespread attention. On April 25th, tourists encountered low-altitude pesticide spraying by drones without prior warning or evacuation, leaving the crowd fully exposed.
Some tourists reported experiencing itchy noses and continuous sneezing after being enveloped in the mist, with accompanying children also exhibiting cough symptoms, causing everyone to worry about the health effects of the chemicals.
After the incident, scenic area staff responded that the operation was for the prevention and control of plant diseases and insect pests, and the sprayed agent was harmless to humans. Similar operations have been carried out in previous years, but they chose to do so during a peak tourist period on this particular day.
On the evening of April 26th, the scenic area officially released a statement acknowledging that improper operation by a third-party company caused discomfort to some tourists. The scenic area immediately accompanied the affected tourists to the hospital for examination, and the results showed no need for medication or hospitalization.
The scenic area publicly apologized in the statement, stating that the incident exposed the issue of inadequate on-site supervision of cooperative units. To avoid similar situations from happening again, the scenic area immediately implemented several rectification measures, including a complete suspension of disinfection operations, strict enforcement of the "people clear the area" rule, termination of cooperation with the involved third-party company, and investigation of relevant responsibilities.
At the same time, the scenic area stated that it will strengthen internal management and on-site supervision, and subsequently carry out vegetation maintenance to provide tourists with a safer visiting environment.