At least eight dead as severe storms batter China

Severe storms in central China’s Hubei province have left at least eight people dead, state media reported on Tuesday.

Winds of up ​to 149 kilometers per hour (kph) lashed the cities of ​Huangshi, Huanggang, Ezhou and Xianning over four hours on Monday evening, China’s Xinhua News Agency reported, citing ⁠Hubei's emergency department. 

China’s National Meteorological Centre said heavy rain was expected to spread to southeastern and eastern China over the next 24 hours. 

It said that the region of Guangxi and provinces of Jiangsu and Shandong should ​brace for extremely heavy rain of up to 260mm over the next 24 hours, potentially triggering landslides. 

Other areas to China's northeast ​and south should also expect tornadoes, the Centre added. 

Around 275 people so far have sustained injuries in the severe weather with more than 400 residents evacuated to safe places by subdistrict and community authorities.

Rescue and relief efforts are curently underway in affected areas.

Hubei and Shandong are among ​China's key agricultural provinces, with the heavy rain raising concerns about ‌damage ⁠to corn, peanuts and vegetable crops that are harvested later in the season than wheat.

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