State Media Reports at Least 5 Dead and Dozens Injured in Tornado in China’s Guangdong Province
A tornado in the Chinese city of Guangzhou has claimed the lives of at least five individuals. Reports from Chinese state media indicate that another 33 people sustained injuries.
Occurring around 3 p.m. local time (2 a.m. EST) on Saturday, the tornado struck Guangzhou, the capital of Guangdong Province in southern China, as reported by China’s official Xinhua news agency.
As the most populous province in China, Guangdong is home to nearly 130 million people and hosts numerous factories serving the country’s export industry.
Tornadoes are not uncommon in China. In a similar event last September, a tornado resulted in the deaths of at least 10 individuals in Suqian, located in Jiangsu province. Furthermore, in 2021, two tornadoes occurred on the same day, leading to the loss of more than a dozen lives.
Recent years have witnessed a rise in reports of severe weather phenomena in China.
Earlier this week, severe flooding from heavy rains in Guangdong resulted in the deaths of at least four individuals. The actual casualties may be higher, with reports indicating it to be the worst flooding the province has experienced in seven decades.
Last year, the Pearl River Delta encountered the most intense rainfall on record in its flooded cities.
In May 2020, amidst the COVID pandemic peak, severe weather conditions struck Beijing before the Chinese regime’s crucial annual political meetings, inducing heavy storms, dark skies, hail, and thunderstorms.
Reuters contributed to this article.