BEIJING: A strong gale-force wind has toppled a giant statue of China’sfirst emperor Qin Shi Huang and flattened its face at a popular touristsite in eastern Shandong province.

The 19-meter (62-foot) bronze replica of the monarch — who was the first tounify warring factions in China and established the Qin dynasty (221-206BC) — was blown out of its pedestal on Friday.

Cranes were immediately called in to pick up the statue, which weighs aboutsix tonnes, according to the state-run People’s Daily newspaper.

Photographs showed the structure was hollow, with metal bars inside.

The monument was built in 2005 to attract visitors to a local touristresort.