Over the weekend, a devastating tornado struck Guangzhou, a bustling city in southern China, resulting in the tragic loss of at least five lives and leaving 33 individuals injured. The tornado, which hit with a level-three intensity, caused significant damage to 141 factory buildings in the area. Fortunately, no residential houses collapsed due to the natural disaster.
Guangzhou, the capital city of Guangdong province, faced the brunt of the tornado, with a weather station in Liangtian Village recording a maximum wind gust of 20.6 meters per second. Search and rescue operations were promptly initiated and concluded by 10 p.m. local time.
The tornado struck amidst a period of heavy rainfall in southern China, leading to widespread flooding that has affected millions of residents. In Guangdong province alone, over 110,000 individuals have been relocated due to the flooding, with reports of at least four casualties earlier in the week.
The Pearl River Delta, a key economic region in China, has experienced record rainfall this April, exacerbating the flooding situation. The region is prone to annual flooding, but the intensity and frequency of extreme weather events have been on the rise, attributed to the impacts of the climate crisis.
While tornadoes are less common in China compared to the United States, they do occur sporadically. A study from 2015 revealed that China experiences fewer than 100 tornadoes annually, with a significant number of fatalities recorded over the past five decades.
The China Meteorological Agency has issued warnings of continued heavy rain and strong storms in the region until the end of the month, urging residents to remain vigilant and take necessary precautions to ensure their safety.
