Tornado hits town in Eastern China, kills five, injures 100 others

A tornado struck a town in eastern China, resulting in the deaths of five people and injuring nearly 100 others, CNN reported on Saturday, citing Xinhua news agency.

The powerful storm caused significant destruction, tearing roofs off houses and uprooting trees, with debris scattered throughout the air.

According to CNN, the incident was captured on video and shared on social media, showing the extent of the damage.

"Severe convective weather caused a tornado," the Dongming County Emergency Management Bureau said, adding that the local government had established a command center and launched emergency response operations.

2,820 homes were damaged by the tornado in Caiyuan, Shangdong Province, CNN reported, citing Xinhua news agency.

 

Emergency services are currently conducting "post-disaster disposal and on-site clean-up," the Bureau added.

Although tornadoes are relatively rare in China, with an average of fewer than 100 occurring annually, they can still have a significant impact.

According to researchers, tornadoes have claimed at least 1,772 lives in the country over the past 50 years, since 1961.

In fact, just a few months ago, a tornado struck the southern city of Guangzhou, resulting in the deaths of at least five people and injuring 33 others, as reported by Chinese state media.

Earlier this month, the China Meteorological Administration released its annual 'Blue Book' on the state of climate change in the country.

The report found that the country experienced its warmest year since 1901 and that "extreme weather and climate events tend to be more frequent and severe."

Meanwhile, other parts of China are struggling with extreme weather conditions.

In the north, a severe drought and record-breaking temperatures are causing widespread devastation, while in the south, heavy rainfall is leading to flooding and inundation.