Tornadoes wreak havoc across central China as Typhoon Bavi looms offshore

Two tornadoes wrought devastation in central China's Hubei province, state media said on Tuesday, killing at least eight people as winds of up to 149 kph overturned cars and ripped roofs from buildings, leaving trails of mangled metal in their wake.



Over four hours on Monday evening, gales measuring level 13 on the extended Beaufort wind force scale swept over the cities of Huangshi, Huanggang, Ezhou and Xianning, Xinhua reported, citing Hubei's emergency management authorities.



At least one person was still missing, the report added. Tornadoes are extremely rare in Hubei, a major industrial, automotive manufacturing, and technology hub, Wang Xiaoling, an expert at the provincial meteorological bureau, told Hubei Daily.



The last tornado in the province was in May 2021. China, the world's second-largest economy, is becoming increasingly exposed to extreme weather events that experts attribute to climate change.



Torrential rain, scorching summer heat and gale-force winds cause tens of billions of dollars in economic losses annually, disrupting industry and destroying crops.