At least five people lost their lives and at least 33 others sustained injuries after a powerful tornado ripped through Guangzhou, China, on Saturday.
The tornado struck a city of 19 million inhabitants, leaving a trail of destruction with 141 factory buildings damaged, according to reports from Chinese state media. Authorities said that although significant structural damage occurred, there were no reports of people’s homes collapsing, according to the Xinhua news agency.
Videos showed people running for shelter against rain and wind with one person falling to the ground. After the storm, scenes of chaos hit social media with videos of the aftermath showing factories overturned and swathes of tin houses largely destroyed and pummeled to wrecks by the wind.
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The tornado, initially assessed at a level three intensity, was two levels below the most severe classification on the scale. Situated approximately 80 miles (130 kilometres) from Hong Kong, Guangzhou is the capital city of Guangdong province.
The tornado's impact was felt especially strongly in Liangtian Village, Baiyun District, where a weather station recorded a maximum wind gust of 20.6 meters per second, according to Xinhua. By 10pm local time, search and rescue efforts had concluded.
Since April 16, incessant torrential rains have battered the Pearl River Delta, the nation's manufacturing hub and one of its most densely populated regions. Four weather stations in Guangdong reported record rainfall for April.
The Pearl River basin, prone to annual flooding from April to September, faces escalating risks due to intensifying rainstorms and severe floods, a trend experts attribute to the climate crisis. Scientists have warned that extreme weather events, including tornadoes, are likely to become more frequent and severe.
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Despite tornadoes being less common in China compared to the US, they still pose a significant threat. One study published in 2015 revealed that China averages fewer than 100 tornadoes annually, yet over 1,772 fatalities were recorded from tornadoes in the country in the 50-year period since 1961.
The China Meteorological Agency has warned of continued heavy rainfall and storms expected until the month's end. It comes after at least 40 people were injured after a tornado hit Wuhan, China in 2021. Extreme weather hit the city in the province of Hubei at around 8:40pm - causing trees to snap and construction sheds to topple.
Official Xinhua news agency said none of the injured people - thought to total 41 - entered a life-threatening condition. Large items were blown down the streets as people battled to save their belongings, with debris filling the air.