Disaster

More than 70 people killed by Tornado in China

The South and East of China are looking for for weeks of a devastating storm. Now the city of Yancheng met, especially in the province of Jiangsu.

A villager in the district of Funing stands in the rubble of his house

A Tornado, hail storms and torrential rainfall turned parts of the Eastern Chinese province of Jiangsu in a lunar landscape. Villagers said, according to Chinese state media, it was “like the end of the world”. According to preliminary disaster balance sheets of the local authorities to be at least 78 people were killed. There were, in addition, an estimated 500 wounded.

The focus of the severe weather the city of Yancheng and the surrounding areas were. Many houses had been destroyed by strong gusts of wind, numerous roads flooded, reported the official Xinhua news Agency. Extreme weather conditions are especially from the municipalities of Funing and Sheyang in front of the gates of the city of Yancheng reported. The gusts of wind had reached in Funing speeds of 125 kilometres per hour, in Sheyang up to 100 kilometers an hour, Xinhua.

Images of horror and destruction from the province of Jiangsu

Rescue efforts were underway. Victims were temporarily housed in public buildings, reported the state television.

In the past few days, large parts of the country were hit by storms and massive rains home. The annual Summer storms were more violent down than usual. The economic damage is considerable.

SC/sti (dpa, afp, APE)