At least eight people have died after violent thunderstorms and gale-force winds swept through parts of central China’s Hubei Province, while rescue teams in neighbouring Gansu Province are searching for people trapped beneath a landslide that struck early Tuesday.
The twin disasters unfolded as large parts of China continued to face severe weather. Authorities are responding to widespread destruction in Hubei and a major landslide in Gansu, where dozens of people are feared buried.
Hubei storms leave hundreds injured
According to Hubei’s emergency management authorities, thunderstorms and powerful winds battered the cities of Huangshi, Huanggang, Ezhou and Xianning between 7 pm and 11 pm on Monday.
Officials said two townships recorded level-13 gales. Tornadoes were also reported in some areas.
Three communities in Huanggang City’s Huangzhou District were among the worst affected.
By 5 am on Tuesday, 275 people had been injured across the three communities. Authorities had evacuated 408 residents to safer locations, according to local rescue headquarters. One person remained missing.
Rescue and relief operations are continuing, Xinhua reported.
Landslide in Gansu traps dozens
In northwest China’s Gansu Province, a landslide struck a village in Nanhe township of Tanchang County in Longnan City at around 6:56 am on Tuesday.
Local authorities said 33 people are believed to have been buried. Seventeen people had been rescued at the time of the latest update, while search efforts continued.
Emergency teams have launched round-the-clock rescue operations at the site.
Floods had already hit southern China
The latest disasters come a day after torrential rain caused flooding and reservoir breaches in Nanning City.
Two people were killed and around 55,000 others were affected by the flooding. Officials said about 48,000 residents had been evacuated from vulnerable areas.
The heavy rain was linked to Typhoon Maysak, which brought intense rainfall across much of Nanning between Saturday morning and Monday.
Authorities said water levels in 59 rivers across Guangxi had risen above warning levels by Monday evening.
According to Huang Lu, deputy head of the municipal emergency management bureau, floodwaters in the affected areas had begun to recede by Monday night.
Officials have also issued fresh warnings and continued evacuations in villages considered vulnerable to further flooding.
China’s Ministry of Water Resources on Monday raised Guangxi’s flood-control emergency response from Level III to Level II.