A powerful tornado devastated two cities in eastern China on September 20, killing at least 10 people and injuring dozens more. The tornado caused widespread damage to homes and businesses, leaving a trail of destruction in its wake.
Chinese meteorological authorities have escalated their alerts regarding heavy rainfall and powerful winds across multiple regions. This precautionary measure comes in the aftermath of a violent tornado that wrought havoc in the eastern China of Jiangsu, claiming the lives of ten individuals.
This recent calamity is amidst a series of destructive weather events. It has prompted authorities to emphasize the need for heightened vigilance against strong coastal winds near the Yellow Sea, adjacent to Jiangsu.
The tornado, which occurred on Tuesday, was of brief duration but intense in its impact. Images circulating on social media platforms depicted overturned vehicles and toppled power lines. Airborne debris strewn across the streets of Suqian, a city located in the northern reaches of the province.
Destruction Level
China’s official broadcaster, CCTV, reported that two areas in Jiangsu province were severely affected by the tornado – Suqian and Yancheng. In Suqian, the tornado struck suddenly at 5:20 p.m. (2120 GMT), resulting in five fatalities and four individuals sustaining severe injuries. Additionally, the calamity caused damage to 1,646 homes and left extensive agricultural areas devastated.
The tornado then swept through Yancheng, claiming five more lives and injuring four others, as confirmed by CCTV.
In addition to Jiangsu, weather advisories were issued on Wednesday for regions including the southwestern district of Chongqing, various areas in southwestern Guizhou, southern Hunan, eastern Anhui, and central Hubei.
China has recently experienced persistent, torrential rainfall in its southeastern regions, leading to large-scale evacuations, landslides, and loss of life in the aftermath of the remnants of Typhoon Haikui.
The impact of climate change on the frequency of storms is still unclear, but we know that increased sea surface temperatures warm the air above and make more energy available to drive hurricanes, cyclones, and typhoons.
As a result, they are likely to be more intense with more extreme rainfall.
