A powerful tornado tore through the eastern Chinese city of Suqian, leaving a trail of destruction, while images shared on social media showed pieces of buildings being lifted into the air, Reuters reports and BBC. At least 10 people died in Jiangsu province, which includes Suqian.
What a building looks like after a tornado hit two cities in ChinaPhoto: Cfoto / Zuma Press / Profimedia
Tuesday’s tornado was short but fierce, with images circulating on social media showing overturned cars, downed power lines and objects literally flying, many littering the streets of Suqian, a city in northern Jiangsu province.
“I was at the door and saw the wind, solar energy devices and trees flying in the air,” wrote one user of the popular social media platform Weibo.
“For those two minutes, I was stunned.”
Broadcaster CCTV said two areas in the province were affected – Suqian and Yancheng.
Five people died and four were seriously injured when the tornado suddenly struck a densely populated area at 5:20 p.m. (2120 GMT) in Suqian, destroying 1,646 houses and leaving acres of crops devastated.
The tornado then tore through Yancheng, killing five more and injuring four more, CCTV reported.
Weather warnings were also issued on Wednesday for the southwestern region of Chongqing, several areas in Guizhou, Hunan, Anhui and Hubei.
