Rescue efforts have begun in central China's Hubei Province after strong thunderstorms, gales and even tornadoes brought by severe convective weather lashed many parts of the province on Monday night, killing 11 people and leaving one missing.
From 19:00 to 23:00 on Monday, thunderstorms and strong winds battered Huangshi, Huanggang, Ezhou, and Xianning, with two towns suffering force 8-13 winds and some areas reporting tornadoes, a weather phenomenon rarely seen in Hubei. In response to the severe weather, local authorities have mobilized rescue forces from different departments to carry out search and rescue operations.
In Huanggang City, local authorities have deployed over 3,000 personnel, including police, firefighters, urban management officers, armed police soldiers and local volunteers, for search and rescue operations, during which a total of 269 people have been evacuated to safe areas.
The high winds have also caused severe damage to residential buildings, main roads and farmlands.
In Huanggang's Huangzhou District, a logistics company's workshop was severely ravaged by the gale. The facility's exterior metal walls and steel-frame beams were severely twisted and deformed. Several heavy-duty trucks parked nearby were overturned or crushed.
In Jinniu Town of the province's Huangshi City, building components were ripped apart by powerful winds, and window glass were seen shattered across roads. Trees along the streets were uprooted, blocking traffic in several sections, while shops and residences have been severely damaged, and rendered uninhabitable.
The local authorities have activated an emergency response plan, evacuating residents in affected areas to safe locations overnight, while providing medical assistance and other supplies to ensure that their basic living needs are met.
Rescue efforts underway after severe thunderstorms, gales hit Hubei
