On the evening of 6/7, the cities of Huangshi, Huanggang, Ezhou, and Xianning in Hubei province experienced severe thunderstorms with wind speeds of level 8-13. Images released by Chinese media showed a massive tornado sweeping through urban areas.
Videos posted by residents on social media depicted a wedge-shaped tornado forming in Ezhou city, crossing the Yangtze river, and then sweeping through a wetland park area and Huanggang Normal University. The tornado's strong winds shattered many windows, damaged roofs, and devastated the interiors of buildings.
Some images showed vehicles being carried a distance by strong winds on the road. Streets in the tornado's path were turned into rubble, with signs, tables, chairs, and vehicles scattered chaotically.
A tornado and thunderstorms swept through Hubei province on 6/7. *Video: X/WeatherMonitors*
A student at Huanggang Normal University recounted that she initially thought there was an earthquake in the city due to the intense shaking she felt. "I looked out the window and saw exterior wall sections falling, and trees along the road toppling. Then I heard people screaming in the hallway", the student said.
A resident living near the university reported that all the balcony windowpanes of their 10th-floor apartment were blown out, the door frame collapsed, the refrigerator was pushed from the kitchen to the main door by the wind, and many furnishings were severely damaged.
Hubei officials stated this morning that the extreme weather has affected about 14,600 people, causing 11 deaths, one missing person, and 331 injuries. At least 22 structures collapsed, and nearly 4,900 structures were damaged. About 246 people were evacuated to safety.
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Search and rescue forces were deployed in Hubei province on the night of 6/7. *Photo: VCG*
According to the Hubei meteorological agency, tornadoes are a rare phenomenon in this province. The last time the locality recorded a tornado was in 5/2021 in Wuhan city.
Meteorology expert Wang Xiaoling stated that this tornado and thunderstorm formed due to the interaction between the remnants of Typhoon Maysak's circulation and the seasonal rain belt in Hubei, combined with a cold air mass moving in from the northeast. The collision between hot, humid, and cold air, along with strong vertical wind shear, created the tornado.
The tornado in Hubei generated wind speeds up to level 13, equivalent to about 40 meters per second. The extremely low pressure at the tornado's center created enough suction to overturn multi-ton vehicles, while tree branches, roof tiles, and metal fragments swept into the air became dangerous flying objects.
The National Meteorological Administration of China also warned that Guangxi, Jiangsu, and Shandong provinces could receive up to 260 mm of rainfall in the next 24 hours, increasing the risk of flash floods and landslides. Some areas in the country's northeast and south were also warned about the potential for tornadoes.
By Thanh Danh (According to Global Times, Xinhua, Reuters)
