At least 11 people lost their lives after a violent thunderstorm in Hubei province, China, caused a tornado that ripped through cities such as Ezhou and Huanggang, state‑media reports say.
Videos of the funnel‑shaped storm spread across social media, showing debris and open‑air glass shattering as the tornado swept across neighborhoods.
A student at a Huanggang university recounted that it began as a “normal thunderstorm,” but “things started flying through the air outside the dormitory” and he was cut by flying glass, adding that it was “just a disaster” once the wind stopped.
The Hubei province has not seen a tornado in nearly five years, with the last recorded event in 2021, highlighting the rarity of the new strike.
Local authorities report that the storm demolished thousands of buildings and injured more than 300 residents, prompting emergency rescue and relief operations that are still ongoing.
