Extreme weather batters Southern China, 3 people 'sucked out' of apartments
Apr 06, 2024
Beijing [China], April 6 : Typhoon-like winds struck southern China on Saturday, claiming the lives of three individuals as they were 'sucked out' of from their apartment windows, CNN reported.
Over the past week, the region has been besieged by extreme weather, at least seven people lost their lives.
Jiangxi province mourned the loss of seven lives since the onset of the exceptionally fierce winds last Sunday, as reported by state broadcaster CCTV on Thursday.
The aftermath reveals a trail of destruction, with over 5,400 homes damaged and approximately 3,13,000 individuals impacted, necessitating the evacuation of around 1,600 residents to safer grounds.
The gravity of the situation prompted the Chinese meteorological authority to issue an orange alert - the most severe level in its three-tier warning system - on Tuesday, marking the first instance since 2013, CNN reported, citing the state-run Global Times.
Nanchang, the provincial capital, bore the brunt of the devastation, with four fatalities and numerous injuries resulting from severe thunderstorms and torrential rains on Sunday, as documented by CCTV.
Among the victims were a woman in her sixties and her 11-year-old grandson, tragically pulled from their windows along with their mattresses by the relentless wind.
Similarly, a 60-year-old woman from the same building met a fatal fate, who was swept away by the typhoom-like winds. The loss of these lives serves as a grim reminder of the unforgiving force of nature, according to CNN.
Reports from state media revealed staggering wind speeds, surpassing the highest level of 12, equivalent to a Category I Hurricane, as detected by one weather station. Meanwhile, 29 others recorded winds at levels 10 and 11.
The impact of the gutsy winds was evident as air conditioners were torn from high-rise buildings, and over 2,000 trees succumbed to the force of the wind, as reported by state media.
China continues to battle with extreme weather conditions, with last year registering record-breaking temperatures, accompanied by scorching heat waves of unprecedented magnitude.
Conversely, the country also faced its coldest recorded temperature last year on January 22, when Jintao, a town in northeastern Heilongjiang province, plunged to a bone-chilling -53 degrees Celsius (-63.4 degrees Fahrenheit), CNN reported.
