23 killed, 161 injured as tornado strikes China

Britnie Turner stands on top of a submerged car as Nick Howell takes her picture in Nashville, Tenn. Seven people were killed in Tennessee and four in northern Mississippi by a line of storms that brought heavy flooding and tornados to the region. File photo: AP.

At least 23 people were killed and 161 injured today when a tornado struck China’s southwestern Chongqing Municipality, damaging houses and crops.

The tornado — followed by torrential rains, hail storms and high winds — hit Dianjiang and Liangping counties at around 2:00 am (2330 IST), state—run Xinhua news agency reported.

“At least 23 people died and 161 others were injured,” it said quoting local government officials.

Liangping county was hit by a tornado and hailstorm, leaving six people dead and another 34 injured. Seventeen people died and 127 people were injured in Dianjiang county, according to rough statistics.

The municipal government has begun to carry out an emergency plan and started relief work. Officials were working to tally the number of dead and injured, as well as the number of homes damaged.

The injured people were being rushed to nearby hospitals while tents were being set up for those whose homes were destroyed.