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At least eight people were killed after powerful thunderstorms battered central China’s Hubei Province, while authorities warned of more torrential rain and severe weather across large parts of the country as Typhoon Bavi intensified offshore.
State news agency Xinhua reported that the fatalities occurred after violent storms swept through the cities of Huangshi, Huanggang, Ezhou and Xianning on Monday evening. Winds reached speeds of up to 149 kilometres (92.6 miles) per hour, causing widespread destruction.
China’s National Meteorological Centre warned that southeastern Guangxi and the eastern provinces of Jiangsu and Shandong could receive up to 260 millimetres of rain over the next 24 hours. The agency cautioned that the downpours could trigger flash floods, landslides and other weather-related disasters.
Forecasters also warned of possible tornadoes in parts of northeastern and southern China as unstable weather conditions continue.
The heavy rainfall has raised concerns for China’s agricultural sector. Hubei and Shandong are among the country’s major farming regions, and prolonged rain could damage late-season crops, including corn, peanuts and vegetables, affecting both farmers and food supplies.
China has experienced a series of increasingly destructive weather events in recent years, with climate experts linking the growing frequency and intensity of floods, storms and heatwaves to climate change. Such extreme weather has caused widespread disruption to transport, industry and agriculture, resulting in billions of dollars in economic losses annually.
Meanwhile, authorities are closely monitoring Typhoon Bavi, which is strengthening over the Pacific Ocean and moving toward Taiwan. According to the United States National Weather Service, the powerful storm was packing sustained winds of up to 180 mph (290 km/h) as it passed near Guam, Tinian, Saipan and Rota, prompting heightened vigilance across the western Pacific.
