Mon, May 14, 2012
Rainstorms and tornadoes have left four people dead and 30 others injured in Hunan province, local authorities said Wednesday.
The rural areas of the central Hunan city of Lianyuan have been battered by torrential rains, hail and tornadoes since late Tuesday afternoon, which has affected about 110,000 residents and forced the evacuation of more than 5,000 people, a city government spokesman said.
Up to 1,000 houses have collapsed due to the extreme weather, resulting in the deaths of four people and injuries of 30 others, the spokesman said.
Power supply, telecommunication networks and road traffic have also been disrupted and some mining businesses have been forced to suspend their operations, he said.
Local authorities have sent emergency personnel to repair the damaged facilities, he added.
More torrential rains are forecast to hit central and northern areas of Hunan in the next few days, local meteorological authorities said.
