Powerful tornado hits Shangzhi, damaging 168 homes and wreaking havoc on farmlands, China’s Heilongjiang Province

A powerful tornado ripped through Shangzhi, a county-level city under the jurisdiction of Harbin, the capital of China's northeast province of Heilongjiang on June 1, 2021. The twister was accompanied by damaging hail. 

According to Chinese state media, the tornado was on the ground for around 30 minutes, from 17:30 to 18:00 LT, damaging 168 homes and wreaking havoc on farmlands.

At least one person was killed and 16 injured. One person was critically injured and is undergoing care. The others had only minor injuries.

More than 240 people were evacuated. 

The total economic loss was estimated at US$800,000 (5.12 million yuan).

This is the third deadly tornado to hit China since May 14.

A destructive tornado hit the town of Shengze, Jiangsu Province at around 19:00 LT on May 14, 2021, killing 4 people and injuring 149. It was the first of two deadly tornadoes to hit China on May 14 in which at least 12 people lost their lives and more than 400 were injured.

Another powerful tornado ripped through the city of Wuhan, capital of Hubei Province, at around 20:39 LT on the same day, killing at least 8 people and leaving 280 injured.

Featured image credit: CCTV