SHANGHAI, May 15 ― Two tornadoes ripped through China's central city of Wuhan and a town in the eastern province of Jiangsu, killing seven people and injuring hundreds while destroying homes and property, the official Xinhua news agency said today.
Six people were reported dead in Wuhan, in Hubei province, with 218 injured after yesterday's tornado ripped through the district of Caidian at 8.39pm, the agency said.
The tornado toppled 27 houses and damaged 130 more, as well as two tower cranes and 8,000 sq. m. (86,111 sq. ft) of sheds at construction sites, it added.
Another tornado struck the town of Shengze, in the Suzhou area of tornado-prone Jiangsu province, killing one person and injuring 21, Xinhua said.
Fire officials said the winds damaged electricity facilities and toppled several factory buildings, it added.
Tornadoes often hit Jiangsu in the late spring and early summer.
China's commercial hub of Shanghai, 100km (62 miles) from Suzhou, was also hit by powerful thunderstorms, prompting weather officials to declare an alert. ― Reuters
