Two powerful tornadoes ripped through Central China’s Hubei province, leaving a trail of destruction and at least five people dead and one person missing, according to Chinese state media.
The rare and violent weather event brought high winds of up to 93 mph (150 km/h) to damage houses, topple trees and disrupt transportation in many districts.
The tornadoes hit different parts of Hubei province within minutes, catching many of the residents by surprise. Emergency response teams were quickly put in place to rescue trapped residents, clear debris, and restore basic services.
There were hundreds of people injured and 58 missing and rescue efforts are continuing to search for the missing person, the governor said.
Public media in local areas showed roofs ripped from buildings, cars overturned, and power lines snapped by the intense winds.
Trees littered the roads and debris covered the ground under the storm. Most residential areas had to provide temporary shelter because of the heavy structural damage, city council and county officials said.
The tornadoes, accompanied by strong thunderstorms and heavy rainfall, were very dangerous for the region, meteorologists said.
Wind speeds were nearly 93 mph, strong enough to ruin buildings, agricultural land and public infrastructure.
Although China has floods, typhoons and heavy seasonal rains in the summer months, tornadoes of this kind are rare, experts say.
They may happen in different parts of the country, experts say, and tornadoes are not as common as in the U.S., but tornadoes are not universal in every part of the country they do happen at all.
However, changing weather and climate change have raised fears of more extreme weather events becoming more common.
Emergency services operated at night to help people in the affected areas, restore electricity to the places and clear blocked roads.
Medical personnel treated the injured and local governments provided temporary housing and relief to displaced families.
Damage assessments have been carried out to see how much damage was caused to homes, businesses and agricultural areas.
The Chinese government also warned residents of the region to be alert as more thunderstorms and severe weather were predicted in some parts of central China.
Residents should stay indoors while keeping an eye on state-run weather warnings from local weather authorities.
And thus the tragedy again highlights the growing challenges posed by extreme weather.
Scientists have warned that global warming can lead to more intense weather systems, but it is still difficult to definitively link individual tornado events to climate change.
Two tornadoes with winds up to 93 mph struck central China's Hubei province, killing at least five people and leaving one missing, according to state media pic.twitter.com/ywW3w9iSha
— Reuters (@Reuters) July 7, 2026
Search and rescue workers will continue to search for the missing person and assist people in the recovery of affected communities.
Family members who have lost someone and suffered property damage will get financial help from government officials to rebuild the communities that are hit by the disaster.
The devastating tornadoes are a reminder of nature’s unpredictable power and the importance of disaster preparedness.
Weather officials keep track of conditions and urge citizens to follow safety guidelines to minimize the risk of future storms.
