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China: Man Narrowly Escapes Whirlpools While Rafting in Chongqing

This video captured the moment a Chinese man was nearly swept into several whirlpools while rafting on the Yangtze River on July 15, 2025, in Chongqing. The footage showed his inflatable boat being pulled into strong currents, spinning rapidly in circles. The man struggled to regain control as the vessel teetered dangerously, caught in the whirlpools and spinning repeatedly. Eventually, he managed to steer to safety and paddle into calmer waters.

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[Breaking News]Whirlpools in western Japan

NARUTO, Japan, March 2 Kyodo - Video taken from a Kyodo News helicopter shows a sightseeing boat approaching whirlpools at Naruto Strait off Naruto in Tokushima Prefecture, western Japan, on March 1, 2025. (Kyodo)

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Whirlpools in western Japan

Photo taken from a Kyodo News helicopter shows a sightseeing boat approaching whirlpools at Naruto Strait off Naruto in Tokushima Prefecture, western Japan, on March 1, 2025.

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Whirlpools in western Japan

Photo taken from a Kyodo News helicopter shows a sightseeing boat approaching whirlpools at Naruto Strait off Naruto in Tokushima Prefecture, western Japan, on March 1, 2025.

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Whirlpools in western Japan

Photo taken from a Kyodo News helicopter shows a sightseeing boat approaching whirlpools at Naruto Strait off Naruto in Tokushima Prefecture, western Japan, on March 1, 2025.

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Whirlpools in Japan

Photo taken from a Kyodo News helicopter shows a sightseeing boat approaching whirlpools at Naruto Strait off Naruto, Tokushima Prefecture, western Japan, on April 28, 2024.

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Whirlpools in Japan

Photo taken from a Kyodo News helicopter shows a sightseeing boat approaching whirlpools at Naruto Strait off Naruto, Tokushima Prefecture, western Japan, on April 28, 2024.

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Whirlpools in Japan

Photo taken from a Kyodo News helicopter shows whirlpools at Naruto Strait off Naruto, Tokushima Prefecture, western Japan, on April 28, 2024.

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Whirlpools in Japan

Tourists watch whirlpools from a sightseeing boat at Naruto Strait off Naruto, Tokushima Prefecture, western Japan, on April 28, 2024.

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Whirlpools in Japan

Photo taken on March 4, 2023, from a Kyodo News helicopter shows a sightseeing boat approaching whirlpools at Naruto Strait off Naruto, Tokushima Prefecture, western Japan. The sightseeing season for the famous whirlpools began the same day.

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Whirlpools in Japan

Photo taken on March 4, 2023, from a Kyodo News helicopter shows a sightseeing boat approaching whirlpools at Naruto Strait off Naruto, Tokushima Prefecture, western Japan. The sightseeing season for the famous whirlpools began the same day.

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Whirlpools in Japan

Photo taken on March 4, 2023, from a Kyodo News helicopter shows a sightseeing boat approaching whirlpools at Naruto Strait off Naruto, Tokushima Prefecture, western Japan. The sightseeing season for the famous whirlpools began the same day.

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Whirlpools in Japan

Tourists watch whirlpools from a sightseeing boat at Naruto Strait off Naruto, Tokushima Prefecture, western Japan, on March 4, 2023. The sightseeing season for the famous whirlpools began the same day.

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Local gov't group to make Naruto whirlpools World Heritage

TOKUSHIMA, Japan - Members of a council set up by the Hyogo and Tokushima prefectural governments in western Japan attend their first meeting on Dec. 18, 2014, in Minamiawaji, Hyogo Prefecture, to initiate a joint drive toward their goal of acquiring World Heritage status for whirlpools observed at the Naruto Strait. The whirlpools are touted as among the largest in the world.

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Naruto Strait whirlpools

TOKUSHIMA, Japan - Photo taken from a Kyodo News helicopter shows large whirlpools and a ship carrying tourists to view them in the Naruto Strait connecting the Seto Inland Sea and the Pacific Ocean on May 3, 2012.

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Naruto Strait whirlpools

TOKUSHIMA, Japan - Photo taken from a Kyodo News helicopter shows tourists aboard a ship viewing large whirlpools in the Naruto Strait connecting the Seto Inland Sea and the Pacific Ocean on May 3, 2012.

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Naruto Strait whirlpools

TOKUSHIMA, Japan - Large whirlpools are formed in the Naruto Strait under Onaruto Bridge as the season for the spectacle has arrived on April 29, 2011.

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Whirlpools at Naruto Strait

TOKUSHIMA, Japan - Whirlpools are seen under the Onaruto Bridge, a suspension bridge connecting Kobe with Naruto and Tokushima in the Shikoku region, in the Naruto Strait on April 28, 2010. The strait connecting the Seto Inland Sea and the Pacific Ocean is only 1.3 kilometer wide and seawater flows in and out from the Seto Inland Sea. The height difference between high tide and low tide reaches up to 1.5 meters, creating numerous whirlpools. At this time of the year, the diameter of whirlpools can be over 20 meters.

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Whirlpools at Naruto Strait

TOKUSHIMA, Japan - A pleasure ship is seen sailing near whirlpools in the Naruto Strait between Awaji Island and the Shikoku region, western Japan, on April 28, 2010. The strait connecting the Seto Inland Sea and the Pacific Ocean is only 1.3 kilometers wide and seawater flows in and out from the Seto Inland Sea. The height difference between high tide and low tide reaches up to 1.5 meters, creating numerous whirlpools. At this time of the year, the diameter of whirlpools can be over 20 meters.

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Spring tides create whirlpools

NARUTO, Japan - A whirlpool is seen April 5 under the Onaruto Bridge linking the Japanese islands of Awaji (background) and Shikoku in western Japan as the spring tides come to the Naruto Straits off Tokushima Prefecture.

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Tourist enjoy Naruto whirilpools

OSAKA, Japan - A boat with a full load of tourists sails through the Naruto Straits, a narrow channel between Shikoku and Awajishima Island in western Japan known for its big whirlpools, as the holiday-studded ''Golden Week'' starts on May 2.

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Whirlpool tour season opens with ceremony

NARUTO, Japan - Mayumi Yanagawa, a woman promoting sightseeing trips to whirlpools off Naruto, Tokushima Prefecture, throws a golden key into the sea off Naruto on March 1 in a ceremony to open the tour season.

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Tourist enjoy Naruto whirilpools

OSAKA, Japan - A boat with a full load of tourists sails through the Naruto Straits, a narrow channel between Shikoku and Awajishima Island in western Japan known for its big whirlpools, as the holiday-studded ''Golden Week'' starts on May 2. (Kyodo)

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Ship sails by big whirlpool in Naruto Strait, western Japan

A passenger ship sails by whirling waves in the Naruto Strait off Tokushima Prefecture, western Japan, on March 7, 2015. The strait between Awaji Island, Hyogo Prefecture, and Naruto city, Tokushima Prefecture, is known for its spectacularly large whirlpools. (Kyodo) ==Kyodo

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Whirlpools in Japan

Photo taken Feb. 22, 2020, from a Kyodo News helicopter shows a sightseeing boat approaching whirlpools at Naruto Strait off Naruto, Tokushima Prefecture, western Japan. The sightseeing season for the famous whirlpools began the same day. (Kyodo) ==Kyodo

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Naruto Strait whirlpools

TOKUSHIMA, Japan - Large whirlpools are formed in the Naruto Strait under Onaruto Bridge as the season for the spectacle has arrived on April 29, 2011. (Kyodo)

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Whirlpools at Naruto Strait

TOKUSHIMA, Japan - A pleasure ship is seen sailing near whirlpools in the Naruto Strait between Awaji Island and the Shikoku region, western Japan, on April 28, 2010. The strait connecting the Seto Inland Sea and the Pacific Ocean is only 1.3 kilometers wide and seawater flows in and out from the Seto Inland Sea. The height difference between high tide and low tide reaches up to 1.5 meters, creating numerous whirlpools. At this time of the year, the diameter of whirlpools can be over 20 meters. (Kyodo)

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Whirlpools at Naruto Strait

TOKUSHIMA, Japan - Whirlpools are seen under the Onaruto Bridge, a suspension bridge connecting Kobe with Naruto and Tokushima in the Shikoku region, in the Naruto Strait on April 28, 2010. The strait connecting the Seto Inland Sea and the Pacific Ocean is only 1.3 kilometer wide and seawater flows in and out from the Seto Inland Sea. The height difference between high tide and low tide reaches up to 1.5 meters, creating numerous whirlpools. At this time of the year, the diameter of whirlpools can be over 20 meters. (Kyodo)

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Naruto Strait whirlpools

TOKUSHIMA, Japan - Photo taken from a Kyodo News helicopter shows large whirlpools and a ship carrying tourists to view them in the Naruto Strait connecting the Seto Inland Sea and the Pacific Ocean on May 3, 2012. (Kyodo)

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Naruto Strait whirlpools

TOKUSHIMA, Japan - Photo taken from a Kyodo News helicopter shows tourists aboard a ship viewing large whirlpools in the Naruto Strait connecting the Seto Inland Sea and the Pacific Ocean on May 3, 2012. (Kyodo)

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Whirlpools in Japan

Photo taken Feb. 22, 2020, from a Kyodo News helicopter shows a sightseeing boat approaching whirlpools at Naruto Strait off Naruto, Tokushima Prefecture, western Japan. The sightseeing season for the famous whirlpools began the same day. (Kyodo) ==Kyodo

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Whirlpools in Japan

Women tasked with promoting the world-renowned Naruto whirlpools in Tokushima Prefecture, western Japan, hold a ceremonial key during an event marking the start of the sightseeing season on Feb. 22, 2020. (Kyodo) ==Kyodo

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Whirlpools in Japan

Tourists watch whirlpools from a sightseeing boat at Naruto Strait off Naruto, Tokushima Prefecture, western Japan, on Feb. 22, 2020. The sightseeing season for the famous whirlpools began the same day. (Kyodo) ==Kyodo

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Whirlpools in Japan

Photo taken Feb. 22, 2020, from a Kyodo News helicopter shows a sightseeing boat approaching whirlpools at Naruto Strait off Naruto, Tokushima Prefecture, western Japan. The sightseeing season for the famous whirlpools began the same day. (Kyodo) ==Kyodo

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Whirlpools in Japan

Photo taken Feb. 22, 2020, from a Kyodo News helicopter shows a sightseeing boat approaching whirlpools at Naruto Strait off Naruto, Tokushima Prefecture, western Japan. The sightseeing season for the famous whirlpools began the same day. (Kyodo) ==Kyodo

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Whirlpools in Japan

Photo taken March 2, 2019, from a Kyodo News helicopter shows a sightseeing boat approaching whirlpools at Naruto Strait off Naruto, Tokushima Prefecture, western Japan. (Kyodo) ==Kyodo

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Whirlpools in Japan

Photo taken March 2, 2019, from a Kyodo News helicopter shows a sightseeing boat approaching whirlpools at Naruto Strait off Naruto, Tokushima Prefecture, western Japan. (Kyodo) ==Kyodo

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Whirlpools in Japan

Photo taken March 2, 2019, from a Kyodo News helicopter shows a sightseeing boat approaching whirlpools at Naruto Strait off Naruto, Tokushima Prefecture, western Japan. (Kyodo) ==Kyodo

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Whirlpools in Japan

A sightseeing boat approaches whirlpools at Naruto Strait off Naruto, Tokushima Prefecture, western Japan, on March 2, 2019. (Kyodo) ==Kyodo

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Whirlpools in Japan

A sightseeing boat approaches whirlpools at Naruto Strait off Naruto, Tokushima Prefecture, western Japan, on March 2, 2019. (Kyodo) ==Kyodo

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Tidal whirlpools in Japan

Women tasked with promoting the world-renowned Naruto whirlpools in Tokushima Prefecture, western Japan, hold a ceremonial key during an event marking the start of the sightseeing season on March 3, 2018. (Kyodo) ==Kyodo

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Tidal whirlpools in Japan

Women tasked with promoting the world-renowned Naruto whirlpools in Tokushima Prefecture, western Japan, throw a ceremonial key into waters in the Naruto Strait during an event marking the start of the sightseeing season on March 3, 2018. (Kyodo) ==Kyodo

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Tidal whirlpools in Japan

Photo taken from a Kyodo News helicopter shows a sightseeing boat sailing near whirlpools in Naruto Strait, Tokushima Prefecture, western Japan, on March 3, 2018. (Kyodo) ==Kyodo

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Tidal whirlpools in Japan

Photo taken from a Kyodo News helicopter shows a sightseeing boat sailing near whirlpools in Naruto Strait, Tokushima Prefecture, western Japan, on March 3, 2018. (Kyodo) ==Kyodo

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Spring tides create whirlpools

NARUTO, Japan - A whirlpool is seen April 5 under the Onaruto Bridge linking the Japanese islands of Awaji (background) and Shikoku in western Japan as the spring tides come to the Naruto Straits off Tokushima Prefecture. (Kyodo)

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Whirlpool tour season opens with ceremony

NARUTO, Japan - Mayumi Yanagawa, a woman promoting sightseeing trips to whirlpools off Naruto, Tokushima Prefecture, throws a golden key into the sea off Naruto on March 1 in a ceremony to open the tour season. (Kyodo)