In a devastating outbreak of severe weather across two major Chinese regions, at least 15 people are confirmed dead and more than 300 are injured, following rare tornadoes in central China’s Hubei province and record-breaking flooding in the southern Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region linked to the remnants of Tropical Storm Maysak. Official Chinese state media Xinhua released updated casualty and damage figures on Tuesday, detailing the widespread destruction left by the extreme weather event that unfolded Monday night.
The unusual tornado activity hit multiple eastern districts of Hubei, with an EF2-class tornado — a rare occurrence for the inland province — cutting a destructive path through Huanggang city. Meteorological data classifies EF2 tornadoes as having wind speeds between 113 and 157 miles per hour, capable of tearing apart frame homes, lifting heavy vehicles, and snapping large trees. In Huanggang, a major logistics facility and an under-construction warehouse suffered catastrophic damage: witness reports and official accounts confirm strong winds lifted and tossed multiple heavy transport trucks up to 30 meters, or 98 feet, from their original parking positions. More than 20 buildings fully collapsed across the affected areas of Hubei, while at least 4,800 additional structures suffered varying degrees of damage. As of Tuesday’s official update, 11 people were confirmed killed in Hubei’s tornado outbreak, more than 330 were treated for storm-related injuries, and one resident remained unaccounted for. In total, roughly 14,600 local residents have been impacted by the severe weather.
Footage shared by Shanghai Daily on the social platform X captured the chaos of the tornado as it struck populated areas: in one clip filmed from inside a multi-story building, people on the ground floor can be seen screaming as powerful winds forced open locked glass entry doors, shattering one panel into large, dangerous shards.
Meteorological experts explain that this tornado outbreak in Hubei is an outlier. China Weather News, operated by the China Meteorological Administration, notes that tornadoes in China are most commonly documented in southern and coastal provinces such as Guangdong and Jiangsu, making inland Hubei an unusual location for such an event. Speaking with local outlet Hubei Daily, meteorologist Wang Xiaoling explained that a rare combination of atmospheric conditions — including lingering moisture and unstable air currents left behind by Tropical Storm Maysak — created the perfect environment for the formation of multiple tornadoes across eastern Hubei.
The impact of Tropical Storm Maysak extended far beyond Hubei, triggering catastrophic flooding hundreds of kilometers to the south in Guangxi. In the city of Hengzhou, Guangxi, four people were killed and eight others remained missing as of Tuesday after record-breaking rainfall pushed river systems far past flood limits. Local authorities have already evacuated more than 53,000 residents from high-risk flood zones in Hengzhou, with an additional 8,000 residents evacuated from neighboring Binyang County. On Tuesday, regional emergency management agencies issued a red alert — the highest possible warning level for flooding — after multiple river gauges recorded water levels up to 7.5 meters, or 24 feet, above official danger thresholds.