Storms kill at least eight in central China as Typhoon Bavi looms offshore

Central China's Hubei Province suffered severe thunderstorms and high winds on Monday, killing at least eight people, state media reported Tuesday. The storm brought winds of up to 149 km/h to several cities, including Huangshi and Ezhou.

Forecasters warned of continued torrential rain across China, with the National Meteorological Centre predicting up to 260mm of rainfall in the southeastern Guangxi region and eastern Jiangsu and Shandong provinces. These heavy rains could trigger landslides. Tornadoes are also expected in parts of the northeast and south.

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Over four hours on Monday evening, winds of up to 149kmh lashed the cities of Huangshi, Huanggang, Ezhou and Xianning, Xinhua reported, citing Hubei's emergency management.

Hubei and Shandong are key agricultural provinces. The ongoing severe weather raises concerns about damage to corn, peanuts, and vegetable crops, which are harvested later in the season. China has experienced significant economic losses in recent years due to climate-driven weather extremes, including floods that have damaged infrastructure and crops. Meteorologists attribute these harsh conditions to climate change.

Meanwhile, China is also monitoring Super Typhoon Bavi, which is approaching Taiwan. The storm was packing winds of up to 290 km/h as it moved across Guam and nearby islands.

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the southeastern region of Guangxi and eastern provinces of Jiangsu and Shandong should brace for extremely heavy rain of up to 260mm over the next 24 hours, which can trigger landslides, with other areas in China's northeast and south expecting tornadoes.