Chinese media showed images of a huge grey tornado moving at high speed and carrying debris into the sky. - PHOTO: SCREENGRABS FROM ERICWANG1101/X
BEIJING (AP): A tornado swept through China's eastern province of Shandong on Friday night, killing one person and injuring scores of others, officials said.
Authorities said 79 people were taken to hospitals with injuries of varying degrees in Dongming county.
The tornado swept through the town, uprooting trees and tearing off store signs, according to videos on state media. Large amounts of debris swirled in the air.
Officials are assessing the extent of the damage, state media said.
The China Meteorological Administration issued a tornado warning for parts of Shandong and neighboring Jiangsu province on Friday.
Tornadoes are usually recorded in southern and coastal provinces such as Guangdong and Jiangsu, according to China Weather News, run by the China Meteorological Administration.
Videos posted on Chinese social media network Weibo showed roads strewn with pieces of wood and stones, shop signs stripped, cars with shattered windows and uprooted trees.
China has endured extreme weather conditions in recent months, from torrential rainfall to searing heatwaves.
It is the leading emitter of greenhouse gases, which scientists say drive climate change and make extreme weather events more frequent and intense. - AP
