At least eight people have died, and 275 others have been injured after thunderstorms and strong winds battered central China, state media reported Tuesday.
The severe weather struck multiple areas in Hubei province on Monday, with cities such as Huangshi and Huanggang hit particularly hard, according to state broadcaster CCTV. Tornadoes were also reported in some regions, and one person remains missing.
In Huanggang’s Huangzhou district alone, 275 people were injured as of Tuesday morning, though the extent of their injuries was not specified, Xinhua news agency said. Authorities have evacuated 408 residents to safety, and rescue and relief operations are ongoing.
Meanwhile, in southern China’s Guangxi region, heavy rainfall and flooding triggered by Typhoon Maysak have claimed at least two more lives and forced the evacuation of at least 48,000 people by Monday evening.
In Nanning, the regional capital, officials raised the flood control emergency response to its highest level after torrential downpours breached dams. Dramatic CCTV footage showed muddy floodwaters surging through a shattered reservoir wall, submerging homes and vehicles. Rescue teams, equipped with life vests and inflatable boats, continue to search for those affected.
Scientists caution that extreme weather events like these are likely to become more frequent and intense as global temperatures rise due to fossil fuel emissions. China, the world’s largest greenhouse gas emitter, has pledged to achieve carbon neutrality by 2060 while remaining a leader in renewable energy development.
Source: AFP
