Deadly China tornadoes ripped through central and eastern parts of the country, killing 12 people. The initial tally from Chinese authorities says the freak weather also injured about 300 other people.
Deadly China Tornadoes Destroy Cities
Over the weekend, China was hit by rare tornadoes causing death, injuries, and property damage, as reported by NBC.
One of the first locations, Shengze, was struck at 7 p.m. It caused loss of power and damage to homes and factories, said the Xinhua News Agency.
In a social media post, the Suzhou city government said four people had died, and 149 others had minor injuries. On China's east coast, Shengze is near Shanghai.
Local governments also confirmed the deaths of eight people in the interior city of Wuhan last Friday night. After the chaos and damage caused by the first tornado, one more struck Wuhan, said the SCMP.
By 8:40 p.m., the tornado had reached speeds of 53 to 86 kph (33 to 53 mph), resulting in property damage. Recorded losses included 24 homes and a massive power outage that had affected 26,600 households. The Wuhan government later announced eight people had died and 218 were injured.
According to the SCMP, 27 homes in Wuhan had fallen, while another 130 sustained some damage. These deadly China tornadoes also destroyed construction site sheds and two cranes.
Several rescue agency personnel in Wuhan were seen trying to get out of the debris left by the unexpected disaster. It left many in a difficult situation after workers removed metallic debris at a factory in Shengze at midnight on Friday.
Early last Thursday, fast winds of up to 125 kph (78 mph) were recorded near Yancheng city, a few hours north of Shanghai. In a city of about 7 million people, the severe weather flattened whole towns, interfered with power lines, and overturned vehicles.
According to the Chinese Ministry of Civil Affairs, nearly half of those wounded are in serious condition. It dispatched a team to oversee disaster relief efforts and 1,000 tents, 2,000 folding beds, and ten sets of emergency lights.
Jiangsu provincial authorities sent a rescue team of over 1,000 people as well as supplies. There were no alarm systems in place, and the dense population is eyed to have contributed to a high death toll.
How often are there tornadoes in China?
Occurrences of tornadoes are unusual in China, but they do, in fact, happen.
In June 24, 2016, a tornado battered Jiangsu, an eastern province of China, resulting in 98 deaths people 800 injuries. Hailstorms, thunderstorms followed the tornado, and lightning, according to a report from CNN. That year, a resident even claimed of being "swept away in two minutes and then reached a building," as he told state broadcaster CCTV.
In July of 2019, one such phenomenon killed six individuals in the northeastern Liaoning province. Another province was hit by similar destructive weather when Hainan, a resort island, reported eight fatalities.
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