Tornado Kills 1 In Eastern China As Country Faces High Temps

(CTN News) – As swaths of the country face extreme heat, a tornado tore through 11 villages in an area of farming in eastern China, damaging homes and killing at least one person.

As a result of the twister that struck Jiangsu province south of Beijing on Wednesday, more than 2,000 people and their property were damaged.

According to local media, the total damage was estimated at 65 million yuan ($9.6 million).

Last year, tornadoes struck Jiangsu and Wuhan, causing 12 deaths and more than 300 injuries. A tornado in Jiangsu in 2016 was China’s most violent in recent decades, killing 98 people and injuring over 800.

Parts of China have experienced record-high temperatures this summer and unusually heavy rainfall is exacerbating seasonal flooding.

Increasing temperatures and heavier rainfall, as well as more frequent extreme weather events are believed to be a result of climate change.

From the far northwest Xinjiang region bordering Central Asia to the central Chinese cities of Changsha and Nanchang, as well as Fuzhou on the southeast coast opposite Taiwan, high temperatures were forecast until the end of the month.

There have been no reports of heat-related deaths, but local governments are taking measures to provide relief to people without air conditioning.

Xinhua News Agency reports that drivers parked air-conditioned buses not in circulation in the middle of the day in Yichang for construction workers and others to escape the heat.

As well as heat stroke medications, water and other refreshments were provided, Xinhua reported.

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