Extreme weather kills dozens in Eastern China

Hailstorms, heavy rain and a tornado have killed more than 50 people in China's Jiangsu province. Summer rainstorms have been heavier than usual, causing damage across the country.

Deutsche Welle, 23 June 2016

Severe floods in China (Photo: Reuters)

Chinese state media reported that a powerful tornado killed at least 51 people and destroyed many buildings in the eastern province of Jiangsu. The tornado formed near the city of Yancheng on Thursday.

The storms injured dozens of people, destroyed power lines and caused houses to topple. Many roads were blocked.

Earlier this week, southern and eastern China were affected by torrential rains and storms that caused severe floods, killing at least 22 people and leaving 20 missing.

On Sunday, Beijing issued a national yellow alert for extreme weather. The country uses a color-coded system for inclement weather, with red being the most severe, followed by orange, yellow and blue.

das/jm ( AFP, Reuters, AP, dpa)

Flash flooding near Laren. Photo: Caspar Huurdeman
Fotografie / HH

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