“Kissing rocks”, a popular tourist spot in Vietnam’s Ha Long Bay, are at risk of collapse, according to a report. Released in July, the report said that rising sea levels and fishing boats travelling too close are causing the rocks to erode, as per a BBC report. The twin rocks rise out of the bay facing each other and appear to touch – or “kiss” – which makes them popular among tourists. The Ha Long Bay in Quang Ninh province is home to hundreds of such tiny islets, attracting four million tourists in 2019, as per the outlet.

The research on these rocks was carried out by Vietnam’s Institute of Geosciences and Mineral Resources. Ho Tien Chung, an expert working with the institute, said they observed one tourist boat stopping within just 19 metres of the islet.

There were also deep fissures, which make them prone to collapse.

“Tourists can see the rocks that are precarious at low tide,” the BBCquoted Ho Tien Chung as saying.

“The water level then is low, exposing the supporting foot of the rocks which are gradually being eroded, causing a risk of collapse if no measures are taken to protect and reinforce them soon,” the experts further said.

Straits Times said these rocks are around 1.39 metres tall, with the base more slender than the upper structure. Due to geological and tectonic movements, along with the influence of seawater levels, the rocks present as a single tilted structure with multiple fractures.

As an immediate measure, the experts from the institute have recommended limiting tourism activities and limiting the speed of boats passing through it.